Project Shadow - Revisited
by ArizonaSivy
Summary: Project Shadow has never fully been finalized. The black hedgehog is visited by a mysterious man who tries to convince him to bring his creator's work to an end. Is it a trick of but another corrupt human, or a true chance for the Ultimate Lifeform to complete his destiny? Discover more about Shadow's nature as he teams up with unlikely allies.
1. Solitude Disturbed

**AN:** _ **(shyly and carefully enters the Sonic Fandom)**_

 **Uhm… Hello there.**

 **So anyway, this is my first Sonic story! Driven by childhood nostalgia, I've recently played a few of the old 2D games from the series, delved fairly deep into the lore, and loved it all. But let me emphasize one thing specifically:**

 **ALL HAIL SHADOW!**

 **As I see it, Shadow is, without a doubt, the most interesting and complex character in the series. Not just because he's 'edgier' than Sonic. Constantly torn between good and evil, he's actually the one who introduces a true moral complexity in a fairly black-and-white universe.**

 **As I found out from a certain video, however, his story has a** **major plot hole** **. Namely, Project Shadow, as a result of which the Ultimate Lifeform was created, was, actually, never completed! I mean, yes, Shadow was brought into the world, but Gerald Robotnik died rather prematurely, leaving many questions unanswered. What's up with that? No, I just gotta fill this in since no one else ever has, at least not to my knowledge (what am I referring to? Well, read on and find out)!**

 **At the end of his own game, Shadow decides to leave his past behind. But if someone reminded him of the fact that he still hasn't fulfilled his destiny, would he be willing to listen? Especially if it's another human making such claims? This is what the story is about- examining Shadow's nature even more, with the help of whoever from the Sonic universe can still aid us in that. I'll also throw in a little humor, a little science, and maybe a few cool weapons and some hard rock music to spice things up a bit.**

 **I thought to myself- what can I write so that, if the Edgelord himself read it, he wouldn't tear my spine out and play it like a xylophone? How can I debunk some of the myths about him? There are many of those, but I'm planning to show you the** _ **true**_ **face of Shadow. Please note: though I try to follow the Sonic canon (if there is such a thing…), I do not intend to insist that all the things I write** _ **are**_ **canon. Just FYI. This is a story of a real Shadow fanboy, but I'll do my best to stay objective ;)**

 **We begin at an unspecified time after the events of 'Shadow the Hedgehog', when it seems that all is known. But it's not. So is the Ultimate Lifeform really a friend of humanity, or our doom? _Step inside, and hold on for dear life!_**

* * *

 **Project Shadow - Revisited**

* * *

 **Song- CKY,** _ **96 Quite Bitter Beings.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1 – Solitude Disturbed**

Dusk was falling over the city, and the sky displayed a palette ranging from orange through purple, to bloody crimson. The high-rise buildings were now beginning to glister more from their artificial lights than the rays of the sun reflecting from their glass-and-metal walls.

Standing on top of one of them, so high that even the vehicles speeding by below seemed no more than ants, he could hardly hear the uproar the citizens of the vast metropolis eternally caused. And that suited him just fine.

Unlike his rival, the blue hedgehog everyone always talked about, who was more drawn to nature and animals, he himself felt compelled to dwell among humans- their cities and technology. It was partially because he was raised on the ARK, a work of human hands. But also because of his promise he had once made- to watch over the race who had brought him into existence.

Protecting the humans did not mean coming in direct contact with them, however. That was unnecessary for him. He may have been alone, but he was far above the feeling of loneliness. After all, why would he yearn for the company of others? He was the Ultimate Lifeform, fully self-sufficient, and satisfied with being by himself.

His solitude delighted him. There, on his rooftop, he could be alone with his thought, with no one interfering. He could bask in his power and freedom, while still extending a watchful eye over the pitiable creatures below, hidden in the shadows which concealed him from them. In lovely darkness.

The earth was indeed so beautiful at times… particularly at sunset, and especially when one was standing high above the street level. Down there, usually nothing quite as beautiful ever happened.

There was a pleasant cool breeze. The city, tired after a day's labor, was tucking itself in to bed.

But not him. _He_ did not sleep.

When the sun, enveloped in a scarlet halo, finally hid its face beyond the horizon, he closed his eyes for a while, pondering over something that must have not been all that important, since he couldn't recall it anymore after his stream of thought was disturbed.

His sharp senses, which were always on the alert, suddenly detected something strange… Was someone walking up the stairs which led to the roof? But for what reason? And who would have the _audacity_ …?

Indeed, the sound was that of footsteps. And they were getting louder and louder.

He grumbled internally, very displeased at the discovery. His mood was definitely not one for company- a state of affairs which, with him, was quite regular.

He got even angrier when he realized that he'd heard those footsteps before. The same person had already disturbed his peace on several occasions in the past, forcing him to relocate to another lonely sanctuary. At first he dismissed that detail as an insignificant coincidence, but now…

… now he thought that he may have been followed.

Was it a pesky _fan_ , perhaps, trying to hunt down and stand face to face with his race's savior? If that were the case, it was anything but flattering. After all, does a lion ever feel flattered by the sight of mice quivering at his feet in admiration of the animal's grandeur? Is he not rather repulsed by the pests standing in his way?

That very thought completely robbed him of his serenity, especially that the person was getting near. He wondered whether or not he should punish the intruder.

Eventually, his irritation overcoming his anger, he simply used his power to teleport to the roof of another nearby building. He did that tardily, however, and so the one who was walking up the stairs, after opening the door to the roof, managed to catch a glimpse of a dark silhouette, warping through space.

The evening calmness above the city was then disturbed by a scream.

" _SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG!"_

The human sounded oddly anxious and desperate. He must have realized that the one whom he sought was about to depart and, with a broken voice, decided to cry out to stop him, indicating that he was in some sort of need.

But who was it? How did he know his name? And what did he want from him?

For a while, Shadow stood on the roof of the other skyscraper with his back turned at the human. The intruder most likely thought that, since the hedgehog didn't vanish from his sight, he might still wish to confront him. The truth was that Shadow himself would much prefer to be left alone, if it weren't for the curiosity the encounter caused him to feel. In addition, the man screamed so pitifully that he must have clearly been in need of help.

Turning around, the hedgehog looked at him. It was a middle-aged man with shoulder-length hair which had prematurely turned grey, dressed in a long leather jacket. His features were rather rough, and his complexion strangely reddish. But that was not important. What mostly caught the hedgehog's attention was the fact that, on his back, the man carried a sheathed katana.

If he was armed, he may have been hostile. But that fact actually attracted Shadow more than it repelled him. Boredom was also not something he enjoyed, and a brawl was always good for stirring up the evening!

After a few moments of the two individuals gazing at one another in silence, the hedgehog suddenly teleported back to his original spot on the roof of the first building, only about a dozen yards from the intruder. The poor man was so surprised he took a step back, tripped, and almost fell to the ground.

Then, after shaking off a demeanor of total astonishment, he began to laugh.

This was not to be any sort of a challenge after all, thought Shadow in disappointment. Rather a farce, more than anything else. The man's red face was clearly the result of him being drunk.

" _Hahaha!_ " the swordsman laughed pathetically, overcome with a state of unsober exhilaration. "Y-you didn't run… Finally, I get to… speak to you!"

Shadow rolled his eyes, not even trying to hide his disgust. Crossing his arms on his chest in a gesture of exasperation, he said to the drunkard:

"You've been stalking me. Which is very unwise. What do you want, _human_?"

Hearing the note of harsh rebuke in the hedgehog's voice, the man finally took hold of his emotions. Straightening in a more dignified pose, he performed a profound bow.

"Forgive me for my blameworthy foolishness, _Shadō za Hejjihoggu_ " the human delivered his apology. "I have acted dishonorably in the presence of someone as great as you. But I have tried to find you for so long… I have almost abandoned hope that I would ever have the honor to talk to you! Until tonight."

While saying those words, the man was constantly bent over in a pose of utmost respect.

 _Hmph. A mouse before a lion,_ Shadow thought to himself.

"Who are you? And why do you carry that sword?" he asked, the haughty tone of his voice not changing in the slightest.

The man stood erect again, and this time, a smug grin appeared on his face.

"This is a dangerous city, after all. Even you would know that it's better not to walk around unarmed. Even despite the fact that you are… the Ultimate Lifeform."

Hearing those words, the hedgehog cocked a brow. He was becoming increasingly irritated by the way this burdensome intruder dodged his questions.

"I know some things about you," the human continued, noticing the way his interlocutor was gazing at him. "Much more than other people. They tend to… judge by outward appearances, and often misconstrue many things. _You_ are just one example of this. My species… they're afraid of you, even though you've saved us. Therefore, they do not understand you. They say you're dangerous, filled with darkness and hate… But you're not like that, are you?"

Though the things this mysterious swordsman said were rather vague, which normally would have bored Shadow to the point of not wanting to speak to him anymore, he was, nevertheless, saying the truth. That fact alone convinced the hedgehog to stay and listen.

"There are _some_ things you are fond of, aren't there?" the man asked, looking at Shadow mysteriously. "Like the GUN motorbike parked in front of this building. You like _that_ , don't you?"

So not only has this human been following him, but also kept an eye on his private possessions? He was really asking for a very _heavy_ interrogation…

"What's your point?!" the hedgehog yelled at him, no longer holding his anger back. "Quit wasting my time and tell me what you want, or I'll make you feel sorry you ever came here!"

The sound of Shadow's raised voice echoed through the night above the city's roofs. Looking embarrassed yet again, his unwanted visitor sobered up, speaking much more awkwardly under the weight of the hedgehog's scowl.

"I… I was only hoping that I could, perhaps… convince you to _dislike me less_ than other men?" he stammered, unsure if his request had any chance of receiving an affirmative answer. "I realize we've caused you much pain and injustice. But the two of us… See, I think we've got much in common."

Now that assessment went much too far. This fool, who was not in any immediate need of help after all, had the nerve to compare himself to _him?_

" _No!_ " Shadow reacted with an automatic expression of rage. "You don't know _anything_ about me! None of you humans do! Now, _get out of my sight_!"

With regard to his former experiences, the hedgehog had a particular hate for anyone assuming that they, and not he himself, could have any real grasp of the nature of _what_ and _whom_ he actually was. Especially if it was some insignificant drunkard implying to have something in common with the Ultimate Lifeform.

Witnessing the dark hero's outburst, the swordsman shook like a leaf. Making Shadow chase him away after such a long search was the last thing he wanted to do.

" _Wait!_ Please, just give me a minute!" the human's voice reassumed its pleading tone. "I-I have something to give to you… As a sign of my good will, and the respect I have for you, _Shadō-sama_."

The phrase, spoken in the man's own language, was one of high esteem. But was this puny primate trying to bribe him now? Shadow decided to put up with his presence only in order to see if his bribe was at least remotely a worthy one…

Truth be told, this was the first human to offer him any sort of reward for having saved the planet on several different occasions. The GUN bike didn't count, as he had basically taken that without asking.

In a gesture of reluctant expectance, the hedgehog continued to gaze at the intruder with narrowed eyes, his arms crossed on his chest. Unsure whether this was a good sign or not, the man reached into the fold of his coat, and took out a beautifully crafted mahogany box.

"Take this!" he said with a smile, passing his gift to Shadow.

Curiously, though not too eagerly, the hedgehog took the box from the human's hands. And when he opened it… he threw the precious package away immediately, as its contents were way more interesting.

The box contained a custom made, high-caliber handgun of significant size, definitely the work of a talented gunsmith.

"A firearm. Your weapon of choice, isn't it?" the man described his present, happy with the fact that Shadow seemed to like it. "It's a highly modified Desert Falcon with an eight-inch barrel, far more reliable and heavy-powered than the original. Its magazine has been enlarged to hold twelve .60 caliber rounds. I suppose shooting it would break any normal human's arm… But not _yours_ , obviously."

There was no smile or any other sign of emotion on the hedgehog's face, but he clearly spent a longer moment admiring the black carbon steel finish of the gun. He then took aim with it, noticing that the weapon was perfectly balanced, checked the rear sight, and racked the slide.

What the man had said was true. The Ultimate Lifeform did not hate _everything_.

"I'm going to have to try this thing out," he then said passionlessly.

The human just stood there, observing as Shadow took a look around, and afterward went over to the low wall at the edge of the roof. To his interlocutor's astonishment, with almost no effort at all, Shadow plunged his fingers into the concrete, ripping one of the bricks out and holding it up for the man to see. He then threw it straight up into the air, so fast that the astonished human didn't even notice before the brick vanished from the range of his sight.

Shadow then aimed with his new gun.

"Uh… You may want to use both your hands…" stammered the man. But the Ultimate Lifeform paid him no heed.

A blast erupted over the city like a peal of thunder, echoing from the walls of the skyscrapers. The pistol was indeed basically a canon, but the power of the recoil was rather enjoyable to the shooter. Although very strong, it did not even tire the left hand in which he held the gun.

The astonished visitor continued to gaze at the sky for a few seconds. After the echo of the shot died down, there was no more sound… Could it be possible that Shadow had missed?

Only after a while did the shards of the brick begin to fall on the surface of the roof. None of them was larger than a coin. The powerful round must have collided with the brick somewhere high up in the stratosphere.

The man gazed at the hedgehog with profound admiration.

"A fine shot!" he uttered finally.

Shadow, clutching his new toy, came up to him, unfazed by his flattery.

"Firearms are useful to battle the likes of _you_. Lead pierces your soft flesh like paper," said the hedgehog. "I find your little gift valuable. But how can I be sure that there is any value in the _giver_?"

Seeing that the conversation was going smoothly, the man smiled with satisfaction.

"Of course, there is no reason for you to show sympathy to any human who does not prove himself to you first, _Shadō-sama_."

The mysterious visitor then proceeded to unfasten the scabbard of his sword.

"You are a powerful person," he continued, unsheathing the katana. "Allow me to show you what _I_ am capable of. Perhaps then you will recognize my value."

The man lifted his sword before his interlocutor's eyes. It was obviously no cheap piece of metal. The katana was ancient, of excellent quality, the thousands of layers of steel on its surface reflecting the light of the stars, and the red sparks in Shadow's pupils.

A delicate smirk appeared on the hedgehog's face.

"That's a nice blade you've got there. What're you planning to do with it?"

Without saying a word, the man cast away the sheath, and performed a sophisticated kata, slashing the air with the razor-sharp sword as the laps of his coat fluttered in the air. These were clearly not the sloppy movements of a rookie fighter. He halted with the blade raised above his head, in an intimidating pose.

But Shadow, who was not impressed with his showing off, merely snorted.

The man then stood straight, removing a strand of hair from his face.

"That gun I gave you," he then said, his words taking the form of a challenge. "Why don't you try to shoot me with it?"

Now _that_ was amusing. Was this drunken fool looking to die on this rooftop tonight?

"You're out of your mind…" Shadow mumbled with disdain at his ridiculous proposition.

But the man raised his sword, showing that he meant what he said.

"No, go ahead. I am ready," he persisted.

For a while, the two stood there, looking at one another as if during a staring contest. Finally, Shadow pointed his Desert Falcon straight at the man.

"I'm _warning_ you," growled the hedgehog. "I never miss! And this thing is powerful enough to take your head off!"

"I am aware of that," the swordsman responded with a smile.

Shadow did not like to be mocked. If this insolent idiot wanted to risk getting killed by a gun he himself had made, then so be it!

He fired without warning, making sure to redirect the barrel by a few millimeters right before he pulled the trigger. Just to make this a little more of a challenge.

The sound of another shot thundered over the roofs…

The man managed to lift his blade in a flash, with skill and speed greatly surpassing that of any regular member of his species. The bullet was cut in half, the pieces went pass him on both sides, and fell to the floor with a clatter.

The sharp edge of the sword wasn't damaged in the least bit.

Truth be told, the man wasn't completely sure if he'd be able to slash through the bullet in his state, internally scolding himself for having had so much to drink that evening. But when he did, he breathed with great relief, although his heart was beating like a sledgehammer.

Lowering his blade, he looked toward the hedgehog with the gun. Shadow's face was covered with the most delicate of smiles.

"Huh. I'll agree, that performance _was_ slightly entertaining," the Ultimate Lifeform commended the human's abilities.

He then put his pistol away, and turned his back on the man.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Ken," responded the astonished human.

"Well then, _Ken_. I wish to be left alone," the hedgehog ordered him. "We'll talk again… later. Now, if you'd kindly remove yourself from my presence."

"B-but… how will I find you?" the man inquired, completely surprised by the fact that his interlocutor decided to end the conversation so suddenly.

Shadow looked over his shoulder for a short while. Then, lowering his eyes at the gun he was holding, he uttered sternly:

"You were able to do that before. I'm _sure_ you can do it again."

* * *

 **AN: The first myth I'd like to debunk, is this- Shadow is** _ **not**_ **emo!**

 **I don't know where people get these ideas. He may be a melancholic loner, but he isn't moping or angst-ridden.** **Some forget that angst means fear, and Shadow doesn't fear anything. Sure, he's been through a lot of painful experiences, but do you ever see him whining about it? Yeah, you do- in the** _ **fandom**_ **. But the fandom is not always right (** _ **duh**_ **…). Shadow has a much stronger psyche than your average fifteen-year-old who wears Mascara and cuts himself with a razor because 'no one understands him'! He** _ **does**_ **like certain things and people, and he** _ **can**_ **indeed smile.** ** **He's more of a cynic than a Kylo Ren. So, w** hy does Shadow ride a bike even though he can run much faster? Because he _likes_ the bike, that's why!  
**

 **I got into the fandom after 'StH' was already released, so the whole edginess added to Shadow's character in that game never seemed pushed to me. I like it, quite frankly, and I can understand why he'd be like that after he lost his memory. Got no family? No friends? World's against you? Gonna get on that bike and shoot some guns. DAMN IT! XD**

 **There's way more to him than just that, though.**

 **As for Ken, my moderately sober Japanese OC. When** _ **you**_ **were partying,** _ **he**_ **studied the blade! ;) But who is this guy, anyway? Well, you (and Shadow) will find out soon.**

 **Whoever finds this interesting- please let me know. All favs/reviews highly appreciated!**


	2. Looking Down On Humanity

**Chapter 2 - Looking Down on Humanity.**

* * *

 _ **'I don't have low self-esteem. It's a mistake. I have low esteem for everyone else.'**_

 _ **\- Daria Morgendorffer**_

* * *

Walking up the stairs that led to the roof, Ken felt his heart pound rapidly. His stamina wasn't what it used to be in his youger years, before all of _this_ ever began. But the case was so important to him that he didn't care.

He managed to hunt down the Ultimate Lifeform only on the second day after their first meeting. It seemed that Shadow wasn't trying too hard to hide from him, which was a good sign. Nevertheless, the human knew he better be careful. He'd heard reports of this mysterious being's power, and by now he was also able to find out that the hedgehog did not take kindly to pesky members of his species.

A rush of wind hit the man in the face when he opened the door on top of the staircase, blowing his long hair around. This time, Shadow had parked his bike in front of one of the tallest buildings in the city, and all the way up on the roof, the temperature was fairly low.

The wind, and the sight of the dark creature, made him tremble.

The hedgehog didn't seem to mind the cold at all, though. Unfazed by Ken's arrival, as if he knew the man was coming, he just went on with his task. And that was stripping and cleaning his new gun.

The human waited in silence, observing as Shadow meticulously polished every part of the pistol, and then put them back together in the manner of an experienced marksman. When the Desert Falcon shone like a black diamond, its owner loaded it and, not turning his face away from his valued weapon, spoke to the one who gave it to him.

"So you did find me."

Ken bowed in a gesture of esteem and greeting.

"Indeed," he said after standing straight again. "And now I am able to witness what the Ultimate Lifeform does when he is not busy saving the planet."

This was meant to be a joke, as well as a hidden flattery. But Shadow did not feel attracted by such rhetorical gimmicks.

"What did you think I did? Make flower arrangements?" his response was that of dry sarcasm. Ken could clearly see in the hedgehog's eyes that he still found no pleasure in speaking to him...

Deciding to take a risk, the man countered the hedgehog's causticity with his own.

"You walk the _Dokkōdō,_ the path of self-reliance. Yet it is curious how, in spite of that, you became the guardian of a race you seem to loathe..." he uttered, looking toward the skyline of the city below, turning away from the one he was addressing.

Shadow raised a brow.

" _Puh!_ You are such fragile creatures, weak in both mind and body," he snorted, fully engaging in the word battle. "You intoxicate yourselves with chemicals, unable to face the struggle with your own feelings. How you were able to survive, let alone rule this planet, still baffles me."

"Not mentioning how we managed to create _you_ …" Ken answered Shadow's allusions with an immediate retort. That day, he was fully sober.

Of course, Shadow did not like the way in which the human attempted to knock the arguments out of his hand. But he decided to keep his own emotions at bay… _for now_.

"That baffles me even more," he responded coldly, sending Ken a scornful look.

Then, he went on with his criticism of humanity.

"Your race is fighting a constant war against itself. Against its own weaknesses. To reach your selfish goals, you are forced to rely on your technological inventions when your evolutionary deficiencies make life hard for you."

"True," responded Ken, who was still observing the concrete-and-metal jungle which surrounded them. "Yet, technology can also be used for good."

Shadow wasn't sure what the human was referring to, but it may have been his own creation in the laboratories of the ARK.

"… or for destruction," he finished the man's sentence for him.

Ken continued to gaze toward the horizon, his arms folded behind his back. Eventually, he said:

"Many consider _you_ to be a weapon of destruction."

That statement was more of a compliment to Shadow than it was an insult, however.

"That's cause they're afraid of me, like you said yourself," a note of pride resounded in his voice. "They're right about that, at least."

It was then that the man turned to face his dark interlocutor again, removing a bothersome strand of hair from his face. He afterwards asked a question which always made him wonder, from the very moment he learned of the Ultimate Lifeform.

"You never got to know us well, did you?"

It took Shadow a longer moment to deliver an answer.

There was someone once, a long time ago, who wanted him to become the humans' _friend_ … But wasn't saving them a sufficient sign of his _friendship_?

"I've seen _enough_. As for the rest... I find it useless," he said finally.

"Still, you're not answering my question," Ken responded.

The hedgehog presented him with another harsh glare. This argument was not what he'd expected from a second encounter with the man. He, however, continued with his bold inquiries.

"You've come to defend the race you hold in contempt. How come, _Shadō-sama_?"

"Because I _chose_ to do so!" the hedgehog answered dismissively.

"Why work for GUN, though? Didn't they try to destroy you, at one point? It isn't because they gave you your guns and that bike, is it?"

Though Shadow did not enjoy being interrogated, that question almost made him smirk. He could definitely understand why someone would ask it.

He had once been programmed by his creators, doctor Gerald Robotnik and the alien Black Doom, to hate humans and use his power in order to destroy them. The fact that he was now an agent for the Guardian Units of Nations, an organization which not only defended humanity, but had indeed tried to eliminate him as a top-priority threat to the human race, did not make much sense. At least not to any weak-minded man.

Shadow took a step toward Ken, speaking in a mysterious, intimidating, toned down voice. His eyes were narrowed, and his demeanor that of grim mockery.

"Do you think I work for GUN… or maybe GUN works for me?"

As he walked, the human seemed to feel more and more unstable…

"It's better to keep your enemies close," the hedgehog now stood right by the man's side, with his gun in hand, staring him in the face. "Make them believe that you're their _friend_. Or better yet, that they have _control_ over you."

The last words he spoke were a camouflaged warning.

" _No one_ has control over me. I only work for _myself._ "

Although Ken still failed to deliver the true reason why he sought him out, Shadow had a feeling that the man, like most humans, was looking for some personal gain. Shadow therefore decided to inform him from the start that, with him, those sort of manipulations were impossible. And very _dangerous_.

The man continued to stand before the Ultimate Lifeform without a word for a while. Then, nodding in order to indicate that he understood, he said:

"Very well. I did not come here to argue with you, _Shadō-sama_. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is to become your enemy. I actually came for different reasons."

"And what is that?" the hedgehog asked only in order to finally get this conversation over with.

Ken then pointed toward something in the distance.

"Over there, on top of Sunshine Plaza," the man referred to one of the buildings in the downtown district of the city. "There's a penthouse on the roof. Come meet me there tomorrow, at sunrise."

In response to his proposition, Shadow sent the human another scowl.

"You speak in riddles, old man. I don't _like_ guessing games!"

But Ken simply smiled, and started walking back toward the staircase.

"Don't worry. Tomorrow, I will tell you everything you want to know. If you'll do me the honor of answering a mere human's invitation, that is."

The man vanished, leaving Shadow alone on the roof. But if there was one thing the Ultimate Lifeform hated just as much as riddles, it was waiting.

If this crazy grey-haired swordsman thought that he could conceal everything about himself apart from his name, including his true intentions, he was wrong. During their conversation, the hedgehog listened intently, and by now he had enough information in order to run a little investigation of his own.

With the aid of an old accomplice, that is.

Putting his gun away, Shadow activated his wrist communicator. After a few moments of buzzing, the image cleared, and he heard a female voice speaking to him from the other side.

"Yeah? Hello? Who is this?" the person sounded as if she had been interrupted in the middle of something.

"Rouge," Shadow said when the bat's image appeared on screen. "I need you to access the CIA database to gather some information for me… _What?_ No, I am _not_ objectifying you again! Now are you going to help me, or not?!"

* * *

 **AN: Shadow (sings): _Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man, of my vitue I am justly proud. Beata Maria, you know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd!_  
**

 **Heh-heh, sorry... :)  
**

 **Shadow, who was never properly 'raised' among humans, like all of us were, has no bias when it comes to humanity's flaws. Especially that he knows he's better than us in almost every way.  
**

 **One of the things many have been wondering about is, why in the world did Shadow ever become a GUN agent?! I mean, even after the 'true' ending of his game, he still doesn't seem to show a huge amount of affection toward mankind. In Sonic 06, he even learns that, eventually, GUN will see him as a threat and try to destroy him all over again!**

 **Well, here's my answer. Even if Shadow's not straight-up pretending to be the humans' ally, he still maintains a sober amount of distrust toward us. After all, he has a lot of reasons to loathe our race, and only one not to (Maria). He's a brooding loner not because he thinks lowly of himself, but because he thinks lowly of everyone else- the weak, selfish race that inhabits the planet. Therefore, he keeps an eye on us not only to protect us...  
**

 **Ken is trying to reason with him, but obviously, the hedgehog doesn't trust the man. So now we too need to wait for the revelation of Ken's motives.**

 **This chapter is just a short 'bridge' before the first one and the next to give you a bit more insight on the main character. I'll update soon, with more substantial content. Thanks for all favs/follows/reviews ;) As always- I eagerly await your feedback.**


	3. The Sword's Edge

**AN: Here's a proper chapter for a change. Enjoy ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – The Sword's Edge**

On top of the roof of Sunshine Plaza, Shadow found a penthouse made of wood, with a broad open door facing the rising sun. There he saw Ken again, sitting on the parquet floor.

The man's chest was bare, revealing an elaborate tattoo on his back which depicted a samurai about to confront a tsunami tidal wave. He also had an impressive collection of old scars, which covered him like a garment… In front of the man lay his magnificent katana, which he was now meticulously oiling.

 _Is he trying to copy me?_ the hedgehog pondered in irritation.

Shadow waited patiently for the ritual to end. When Ken was done maintaining his weapon, he put it back into its sheathe, and set it aside. Arising, he stood before the hedgehog, holding two bamboo swords in his hands. Shadow noticed that the man was wearing wide loose trousers, and his long hair was tied up with a white band around his forehead. Clearly, he was preparing for some sort of a training session.

Illuminated by the rays of the morning sun, Ken bowed profoundly. Then, he presented the weapons he was holding to Shadow.

"This is _kenjutsu_ ," he spoke. "It is an art created to mold the mind as well as the body. And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself."

He afterwards passed one of the bamboo swords to Shadow.

"Take this."

Looking at the hilt of what to him was basically just a fancy stick, the hedgehog almost laughed.

"Do you intend to challenge _me_?" the Ultimate Lifeform asked with a fair dose of mockery.

Ken nodded.

" _Hai, Shadō-sama_. I am aware that you are an expert marksman, but I am also curious to witness how you handle yourself in more direct combat. A practitioner of _kenjutsu_ always looks for ways to improve his skills, and that is impossible without a worthy opponent."

 _Ha! What makes you think that_ _ **you**_ _are a worthy opponent to_ _ **me**_ _?_ Shadow thought internally.

He did, however, appreciate the man's determination. And a little sparing was always fun.

He had one condition of his own, though.

Taking both of the bamboo swords from Ken, Shadow briefly examined their weight and craftsmanship.

"Are you left, or right-handed?" asked the man.

"Doesn't matter," the hedgehog answered casually, redirecting his eyes at his opponent. "But if you wanna fight me, you're going to have to use your _real_ sword."

" _What?!_ " Ken stammered, visibly crestfallen. " _Shadō-sama_ , that would be against the rules of _kenjutsu_. The _daitō_ is not made for mere sparring. It is made for _taking lives_!"

The last sentence was meant to be intimidating. But the very idea that this human would even be able to touch him with his sword, seemed ridiculous to Shadow.

Without warning, he grabbed one of the training swords, and snapped it with his bare hands right before the astonished man's eyes. He then cast the pieces away, lifting the only _shinai_ they had left.

He gazed at Ken with a cocky demeanor of challenge.

"Not long ago," he spoke, "you demanded that I shoot a gun at you while you were only armed with your blade. I think that this arrangement is just as fair. Now, show me what you're capable of!"

The human hesitated for a moment… Of course, he was able to slash through the training sword Shadow was holding with ease. But the hedgehog himself must have known that, as well. Perhaps this duel was to be more interesting than the man had initially thought?

" _Kekkō_ ," he agreed finally, reaching for his scabbard. "I must warn you, however, that the reason that I live is only due to the fact that my skills have until now been unmatched."

"You said it yourself, old man," his opponent taunted him, switching his grip to his right hand. " _Until now_."

It became clear that Shadow was ambidextrous, which forced Ken to readjust his tactic. Fortunately, he deliberately stood in such a way that the morning sun shone in the hedgehog's face.

A gush of wind went through the penthouse as the man unsheathed his katana. The ancient blade reflected the light of the sun like a mirror when its owner raised it above his head, stretching skillfully in a finesse pose.

Shadow, however, remained standing straight, with his _shinai_ pointing down. This was an unbalanced position, bad for both blocking and attacking. A trait of either someone who knew nothing about sword fighting… or of one who knew so much he didn't even care.

Looking at the hedgehog's smug grin, Ken was beginning to lose his patience. It didn't look like the sun bothered him all that much, after all…

"Advance!" he encouraged his opponent. " _Advance!_ "

But Shadow just remained standing with his head lowered and a smirk on his face.

Eventually, the man's muscles got tired, and he was forced to abandon his sophisticated battle position.

His adversary was obviously a proud and overconfident one. Vices which _kenjutsu_ usually associated with imminent failure.

Remembering how Shadow had fired his gun at him without much warning, Ken then decided to also issue a firsts assault in a swift and surprising manner.

With a powerful cry, he struck from above, firmly planting both hands on the _tsuka_ of his sword. Such a downward slash, if it reached its target, would have cleft the body of a grown man from the tip of his head all the way to the pelvis.

 _If_ it reached its target, that is…

Ken wanted to force Shadow to raise his bamboo sword so that, slicing it in half, he could deprive his opponent of even that merge means of defense. But the hedgehog did not defend himself. He did not lift his sword. In fact, all he did was…

… vanish.

Or at least so it seemed to the astonished human at first. Only a moment later did he notice his adversary standing several yards to the side, what made Ken realize that Shadow could move from place to place in the blink of an eye. The exhaust of his air shoes burned a trail on the surface of the wooden floor.

When the swordsman redirected his sight at the hedgehog again, all he saw was the spark of mockery reflected in his red irises…

That made the man's blood boil. All of his strategy and training seemed good for nothing.

"Err! _Koko ni kite_!" he shouted, immediately rushing in with another attack. **[1]**

Ken's movements were fast and accurate, his katas those of a skilled and experienced fighter. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not match the Black Blur's speed. Eventually, he abandoned his technique altogether, focusing all of his attention on predicting the hedgehog's next move, and trying to get ahead of him at least once…

But it was of no use. He may have been able to slash through a bullet, but the black hedgehog was moving _faster_ than a bullet. Not even his _kenjutsu_ could provide any help against such an opponent. Clearly, having such tremendous advantage, the hedgehog was only toying with him.

"This… is not… a real battle!" Ken panted after another acutely aimed blow, which hit nothing but air.

Observing the human's tiredness with delight, Shadow finally raised his own sword.

"Very well. You want a real fight? In that case, let me show you my ultimate power!"

This time, he did not dodge Ken's attack. When the man, breathing with fury, attempted to slash him from over his right shoulder, the hedgehog's _shinai_ also cut through the air with such velocity that it created a whistling noise. The bamboo sword did not collide with the edge of the steel blade, however. Shadow attacked from the side, hitting the flat surface of the katana instead, doing so with such force that its wielder groaned, his weapon almost slipping out of his sweaty palms.

Ken lost his balance for a moment. And Shadow used that opportunity perfectly.

Pushing straight through the man's lowered defenses, the hedgehog struck him in the right elbow. The pain of the blow made the surprised fighter gasp, and relax his fingers.

Suddenly, Shadow was gone, vanishing from the spot where he previously stood, appearing on Ken's right side this time. At the very moment when the katana fell out of the man's grasp, he grabbed it in mid-air with his free left hand.

With another flash, Shadow was hovering in front of the defenseless human's eyes, bearing an angry scowl. He was now holding two swords, demonstrating an expert level of acrobatic skills of the _nitōjutsu_ style of combat.

Ken, who was holding nothing, gasped…

… and was instantly hit in the face with both edges.

All of this happened in less than a breath. The blunt surface of the bamboo sword struck Ken in the left temple, whereas his own katana- in the cheek bone on the same side. Fortunately, Shadow used the flat side of the blade, not the sharp one, or else the man would face the dishonor of having been slain with his own sword…

But collapsing to the floor in a limp heap was enough of a disgrace as it were.

Stunned by the pain, almost losing his consciousness, Ken found himself quivering before the victorious hedgehog as he rubbed the injured and swollen side of his face.

Shadow, still brandishing the two swords, glared down at him in haughty disregard.

"Hmph! _Shishi no mae ni nezumi_ …" he uttered in the man's own language, astounding him even more. **[2]**

" _N-nani?!_ " Ken stammered, moving away from this terrible being that stood before him. "Who… _are you_?"

The hedgehog then cast both the _shinai_ and the katana away, moving even closer to the vanquished human. His quills now seemed like the horns of some demon.

"I told you not to presume that you know me. I am… what I am."

As always, Shadow laughed in the face of anyone who would attempt to see through him.

Ken had read reports about him, but never seen him in combat. Such power… it was something beyond the abilities of any ordinary being!

"What you did… that was Chaos Control!" the frightened man attempted to move away, crawling on the floor. "Chaos… is power! You really are _Kyūkyoku Seimeitai_ \- the Ultimate Lifeform!"

His back touched the wall, and the man had nowhere else to run. To his even greater shock, he then felt the hedgehog's fingers tightening around his throat… Shadow's eyes were filled with a truly awful wrath.

Using his jet shoes, the enraged creature forcefully hoisted Ken upward, pinning him against the wooden boards, himself hovering in the air. Gazing into the choking human's face, he then yelled:

" _You!_ Did you think that you would be able to hide your true identity from me forever?!"

It was then that Ken knew that his secret had been discovered. Indeed, the other night, Shadow was able to learn a lot of very _interesting_ things about the man from Rouge, who pulled out whatever info she could obtain about him from the CIA database. And there was _a lot_.

"Your name is Ken Mitsui, isn't it?" Shadow continued to growl. " _Sergeant_ Ken Mitsui, a former member of the Guardian Units of Nations! You're a deserter, and you are also wanted for espionage!"

It looked as if a present GUN agent had caught a former, corrupt one. An expression of fear growing in his eyes, the man did not deny. That caused the hedgehog to tighten his grip even more.

"Tell me, what is keeping me from turning you in to the government, you _traitor_?" he asked, observing Ken's face slowly turning purple. "I suspect that, taking how serious are the crimes you've committed, they would quickly put you before a firing squad!"

The human gasped for air, pawing Shadow's hands pleadingly… The hedgehog snorted, turning his face with an expression of disdain.

And then he lunged Ken away like a rag doll.

The man flew several feet, colliding with the wooden floor. Having almost been suffocated to death, he panted like a tired dog. Turning around, Shadow crossed his arms, awaiting for the man to either beg him for mercy… or pick up the sword that lay nearby for a final, futile effort of retaliation.

Although, what was oddly surprising, sergeant Mitsui did neither of these things. Instead, as soon as he was able to breathe steadily again, he began to laugh.

" _Hahaha_ …" chortled the defeated former soldier, the color of his face slowly turning from pale to red.

"You pathetic _clown!_ Are you drunk again?!" Shadow roared at him, angered by the man's weird reaction.

Still panting deeply, though capable of movement, Ken lifted himself up from the floor.

" _Shadō-sama_ …" he addressed his interlocutor with a smile on his swollen face. "I presume that you, more than anyone else, should know that one sometimes has to do things which are seemingly evil… for the sake of a greater good."

 _There he goes, speaking in riddles again!_ the hedgehog thought to himself, his brow wrinkled from fury. _Does this fool have no common sense at all?_

"What are you implying?!" he said, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth.

Ken then slowly stumbled toward a nearby table. After taking a drink of water, he removed his sweat band, and proceeded to put his shirt back on.

"Come, sit," he invited Shadow to take a chair in front of him. "Taking the speed you've exhibited during our duel into account, there's no way I can run away from you. As the victor, you've earned your rest… as well as some explanation."

The hedgehog raised a brow curiously, but after a moment of consideration, agreed to accept the man's proposition.

Ken took out a clay bottle which contained sake, and attempted to put two glasses on the table, one for each of the persons sitting there. Shadow, however, refused the drink with a stern gesture. The man therefore drank alone to ease the pain of his injury, and then applied a wet towel to the side of his face for the same purpose.

"Who hired you?" the hedgehog asked him, all the unnecessary ritual causing him to feel extremely impatient.

"No one," Ken responded bluntly. "Just like you, I only work for myself."

He then flinched, stunned by the sound Shadow's fist made when he rammed it into the surface of the table…

"Don't lie to me!" screamed the hedgehog. "I know you've hacked the GUN database and accessed top secret information! Now tell me- what are your reasons for that?!"

To him, it was obvious that sergeant Mitsui's desertion from the army was due to the personal profit this or another maleficent power wanted to bribe him with in order to buy some valuable intel. Shadow knew how spies worked, and that there was always a lot of greed involved in their motives. After all, he had been acquainted with Rouge for long enough.

Picking up the tipped over sake bottle before the rest of the alcohol spilled out on the floor, Ken gazed at his interrogator seriously.

" _Shadō-sama_ …" he uttered in an unsteady tone. "All that you are asking for… I wanted to reveal that to you today, trust me. Finding it out on your own was unnecessary. I intend to be honest. But… are you aware of the nature of the information I sought in those databases you speak of?"

This question caught the hedgehog off-guard. It was true that Rouge had indeed found that out, but she refused to tell him after _he_ refused to inform her why he needed to know it. All in all, the conversation turned into an argument, which ended up with the bat hanging up on him…

But that was unimportant. After all, Shadow could simply grill the GUN traitor for all the info he needed personally.

Gazing at the human with his trademark frown on his face, he indicated to him that he was awaiting an elaborate explanation.

The human therefore looked the intimidating GUN agent in the eyes, beginning his confession.

"When I was still in the army," he said, "I took part in the battle against the black aliens. The beasts were ferocious adversaries, that was for sure, and we suffered heavy casualties to them. All of us could not even begin to fathom, however, when our Commander told us of this even greater power, fighting on Black Doom's side… _You_. Most of us never even got to see you, but we were informed by our superiors that you were a highly dangerous threat."

As he went on with his story, Ken could not see the internal process which was taking place within Shadow's heart. He had promised himself to leave the events of the past behind, as they have been settled and sealed, with no more reason left to recall them. But this human… He seemed to still be living in those days which have long gone by. They still bore a great importance to him, for some reason.

"We were all in great shock when it was revealed that you've turned to our side," the man continued, observing as Shadow listened to him with his head down low, in silence, and a rather meditative stance. "The destruction of the Black Comet… Suddenly, our lives were no longer in peril! All of us wanted to know who this champion of ours was. But you… you just vanished, as you always do, and we were left with nothing but speculations. So we returned to our duties, and to rebuilding that which was destroyed during the war. The details were classified, locked away from the eyes of the public."

"And that's when you felt the desire to know more than what you were allowed to, wasn't it?" Shadow asked the man gloomily.

Ken nodded.

"Yes. I could not understand why they would withhold such important information from a sergeant. There were rumors circulating… about an experiment which had been terminated long ago. About the research of a certain scientist, who was able to create… _life_. I… at some point… I felt compelled to know the truth."

"Why?" the hedgehog continued to press him, the look of his eyes piercing the man's very soul.

"Because you… the Ultimate Lifeform… are an answer to all the pain I, together with my whole race, is burdened with."

" _Explain!_ " Shadow almost shouted.

Sergeant Mitsui took another sip of sake.

"I admit, I did hack the GUN computers…" he spoke unsteadily, though with growing passion. "And when I did, I found your name in one of the classified files from over fifty years ago. It was called 'Project Shadow', because the government wanted to conceal its goal- to develop the ultimate weapon. However, professor Gerald Robotnik defected from that initial goal. That was why he was later executed… but not before reprogramming his creation to turn against humanity. I could not find the reasons for that. It was speculated that the professor had lost his mind."

Ken could not see the rage which was slowly arising within Shadow. What was this insolent vermin implying? That his creation was just a failed experiment, because his creator had altered his motives in a fit of insanity?

That thought had haunted him for so long…

The man continued with his story.

"After finding that out, I could not understand why you decided to help us. But when I remembered how you destroyed the Black Comet… I thought that, maybe, you actually followed the true purpose of your creation? The one which had been given to you by professor Gerald before he became ill with grief? It was then that I knew this was the real goal of Project Shadow… The Ultimate Lifeform was not only destined to be perfect itself. It was also meant to perfect others! That was professor Gerald's true wish, and it has never been finalized!"

Ken now himself clenched his fist in anger, as if the injustice done to Shadow had some sort of personal significance to him, as well.

"Those fools… how could they ever terminate the Project prematurely? When I found out about what exactly happened on the Space Colony ARK, I left the GUN… I knew that Gerald Robotnik's plan must yet be completed! Since then, I've spent weeks looking for you, to _beg you_ to aid me in this. When I finally found you, I couldn't believe it. I needed to make sure… And now I understand. All that I've read was true. A being with the power of Chaos Control, the Ultimate Lifeform, is the only one who can help us all!"

His words may have been full of hope to Ken himself… but they all made Shadow remember events he would much rather have left behind.

How great was the pain of the doubt he had once felt, unsure of the reason of his own existence, desperately searching for his lost memories and someone who could show him the truth…! Through his determination, that pain made him stronger. He had found the answers he sought. So why would he relive all of it? Why would he acknowledge that his story was not yet over?

So many have tried to deceive him countless times, trying to use him to obtain their own goals by lying about whom he was… Shadow would not tolerate being tricked or manipulated ever again. It had cost him so much. He already knew his true nature and purpose, _he alone_ , and no one could persuade him otherwise. Just like he rejected becoming the perfect weapon of destruction, he would also not accept the fact that he was merely the result of man's lust… for immortality.

Sergeant Mitsui, who was gazing at Shadow closely, awaiting his answer, first noticed the hedgehog's face assuming an expression of pain… which then soon turned to that of wrath.

"You fool…" he uttered, completely surprising the man. "You have no idea what you are asking for!"

The man gasped, arising from his chair when the creature in front of him cast the table aside, making the piece of furniture crash into the wall and shatter into splinters. The sake bottle also fell to the floor, breaking.

"Shadow…!" Ken was only able to yelp before a blow of chaos energy knocked the air out of his lungs, sending him flying to the other side of the room.

Before he even came to, the hedgehog rushed to pick the man's katana up from the floor.

"So you're afraid of death, huh?" jeered the Ultimate Lifeform, moving at the speed of sound. " _I'll_ give you something to fear!"

When Ken opened his eyes, lying on the ground and groaning in pain, he noticed Shadow placing the razor-sharp edge of his own sword against his neck.

The metal was as cold as the morning wind.

* * *

 **AN: First of all, you may be wondering- how come Shadow can speak Japanese?**

 **The answer is simple. He's owned by Sega,** _ **of course**_ **he knows Japanese! XD And I personally think his dub in the Asian version of Sonic X is downright awesome. What a beautiful language, and so intimidating! The scene in which Shadow wakes Cosmo up in the middle of the night just to utter to her the words 'you will die!', is simply chilling. The translations of the Japanese phrases, in cases when they're not self-evident, are listed below.**

 **In his game, Shadow can also actually wield a katana, and he uses it like a boss. Too bad Ken didn't know about that ;)**

 **At the end of 'StH', in the 'true' ending, Shadow decides to leave his past behind completely. He seems to have a 'my job here is done' attitude, especially that searching for his lost memories throughout the game was really painful for him. Having found his goal and purpose, he considers himself complete, finally having full control of his own life.**

 **And then sergeant Mitsui shows up, telling him- nope, I've read your creator's files, and he actually wanted you to be even more than what you are now. Of course, the Black Blur is like,** _ **who are you to tell me what to do? You're just a spy, a human, and humans are not worthy of my trust and concern!**_

 **But what does Ken actually mean by 'the true purpose of Project Shadow'? He's right, by the way… but why's our edgy hedgehog so ticked off about that? Can you guess? Answer's coming in the next chapter ;)**

* * *

 **[1]** _ **Koko ni kite**_ **\- (jap.) come here.**

 **[2]** _ **Shishi no mae ni nezumi**_ **– (jap.) a mouse before a lion.**

 **(... I think...)**


	4. The True Purpose Of Project Shadow

**Chapter 4 – The True Purpose of Project Shadow**

Sergeant Ken Mitsui felt his aching body shake, lying on the floor on top of Sunshine Plaza with the edge of his katana placed against his neck. At the other end of the blade, the Ultimate Lifeform was glaring at him in the state of a truly awful wrath.

"You…" the human stuttered, only now fully realizing whom exactly he was facing. "What the reports said is true, isn't it? You… you cannot die, can you?"

Shadow was almost on fire with anger, clenching his teeth more and more. Again, long-forgotten memories began to flash in his mind, haunting him… With a painful groan, he looked away, closing his eyes.

Then he spoke, but Ken had a feeling that the hedgehog's bitter ire was only meant to disguise the note of suffering which resounded in his voice.

"No being should ever possess eternal life," Shadow uttered. "It is enough that _I_ have to bear with it!"

It was then that the man understood. In the files concerning 'Project Shadow', he read that the government of the United Federation tasked professor Gerald Robotnik not only with the development of weapons of mass destruction… but also with finding a cure for man's mortality.

He could clearly see why Shadow would hate humanity for having such selfish, insolent desires. It was not only audacity on their behalf, but also sheer stupidity. That he could sense from the pain which reflected in the Ultimate Lifeform's face. The black hedgehog was destined to live alone, without family or friends… and even if he ever decided to give his heart to anyone, and experience love, he would be destined to witness the death and passing of all those dear to him, over and over again. They would all have to die, whereas he would live forever.

Shadow did not want to deprive humanity of the gift of eternal life. What he actually wanted was to save humans from its curse- the very one he himself was burdened with.

To his shock, Ken saw in Shadow that which really made him humanity's savior. _Compassion_.

But, perhaps, this compassion could help him understand the man's _true_ motivation?

The sergeant knew why professor Gerald had been executed. It was because he had changed the government's initial plan concerning 'Project Shadow'. Obtaining immortality, as it turned out, was never the old scientist's desire.

"Forgive me if what I say sounds daring to you," the human addressed the Ultimate Lifeform in a careful, toned-down voice, "but you misunderstand, _Shadō-sama_. I do not wish to ask you to help us to live forever… but only to _live_."

After he heard Ken's words, Shadow opened his eyes suddenly, as if snapping out of some daydream. Then, with another snarl, he cast the sword he was holding away.

"I've had enough of your riddles! Tell me what is it you want!"

Crushed by the weight of the powerful being's impatience, the man lifted his hand in a pleading gesture.

"Please, allow me to show you. Just… one last time."

For a few long seconds, the hedgehog stood stiff, pondering. Something inside of him made him desire to throw Ken off the roof… but then again, perhaps the extra information could help in his future trial, in case he decided to turn the deserter in to the government.

"Fine," Shadow finally nodded. "But this better not take too long."

Breathing with great relief, the sergeant slowly arose from the floor, and under his interlocutor's close supervision, began buttoning his shirt with shaky fingers. He then put his coat on, and fastened the katana on his back.

"Come," he said ultimately, leading Shadow toward the staircase. "I need you to see something. Then, you will know the truth."

Walking reluctantly, the hedgehog followed Ken to the underground parking, where the man's car stood. The sergeant wanted to invite Shadow to ride with him, but he instead mounted his motorcycle, informing the man that he would follow him. The hedgehog also warned sergeant Mitsui not to try anything funny, as no matter how fast the human would drive, he would always catch up with him.

They drove through the city's busy streets, with Shadow right on Ken's tail. But the man did not attempt to flee. Instead, he stopped before a large nearby building. There, after exiting the car, he invited his guard to follow him.

They entered the walls of what turned out to be a hospital, where Ken began to lead Shadow through the cold, silent corridors in silence. The air inside had an unhealthy taste, and the atmosphere was heavy with death. As they walked pass the the patients' rooms, the hedgehog saw men and women of various ages, frail and sickly, lying in their beds and looking as if their state was deteriorating with each passing minute. Some of them were on the brink of agony, their breath shallow, the almost transparent skin on their faces spread tightly over their skulls. It seemed that only the medical equipment was still keeping them alive.

The Ultimate Lifeform observed all of that passionlessly, once again reassured of the utter fragility of the human race.

Finally, Ken led him outside again, sitting on a bench in a garden behind the hospital. As the nurses passed them by, walking the wheelchairs of the sick, the man lifted his sad eyes at the hedgehog.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" he asked rather grimly.

Shadow did not answer, instead continuing to fix his piercing stare at the sergeant in anticipation. In his mind, he now realized that he could almost understand why such frail creatures would long for immortality… But if that was not what Ken wanted from him, then what else could it be?

"I have not been faithful to the precepts of _kenjutsu_ ," the man began. "The old masters used to say- _Issho no aida yokoshin omoazu_. Forget about human desires. I... have not been able to do that."

"Then tell me, what is it that you desire?!" the hedgehog inquired with growing impatience.

"These people," Ken said while hanging his head, "they suffer from a horrible, incurable disease. A condition which is known as... _senten-sei meneki fuzen shōkōgun_."

Shadow's demeanor, completely bereft of all emotion before, was now suddenly disturbed by a silent gasp.

"The neuro-immune deficiency syndrome…" he repeated, feeling an instant ache in his temples. Lifting his hand, he rubbed his forehead with a groan.

"You know this disease, don't you?" asked Ken.

But Shadow did not see the man's face anymore. Instead of the hospital garden, he now found himself on the Space Colony ARK, over fifty years earlier.

He was standing next to his creator, Gerald Robotnik. It was shortly after his awakening, when he still could not understand much of the world which he was brought into. The professor had been teaching him all he needed to know about it… as well as himself.

"Do you enjoy living here, my son?" the old scientist asked him affectionately.

Shadow looked his maker in the eyes. He wasn't sure if he had fully grasped the meaning of the word 'enjoy' yet.

"Yes… I think," he responded hesitantly.

Gerald smiled.

"I see you're spending much time with Maria. She can't seem to stop talking about you, you know! She likes you very much. Do you like _her_?"

"Yes!" this time, the hedgehog's answer had much more surety in it.

"Good, good…" the professor nodded. And then, he went away by a few steps, pretending to gaze at the screen of one of the lab computers.

"Is something… wrong?" Shadow asked him, noticing the sudden decline in his creator's mood.

A deep sigh could then be heard.

"There is something I must tell you…" Gerald turned around, bearing a troubled expression. "Maria, she… she's very sick. This is the actual reason why she needs to stay here, aboard the ARK, and cannot return to Earth. The disease she suffers from is called the neuro-immune deficiency syndrome. It is caused by a virus which affects the human nervous system, paralyzing the body's natural defense abilities. There is always only one way in which this sickness ends. And that is death."

"Death…?" the hedgehog repeated, unable to understand what the professor meant by that.

"Yes, my son… It is when your heart stops beating, and your life ends."

Shocked by his creator's dreadful words, Shadow stood in astonishment.

"Is… that going to also happen to Maria? And you? And to… _me_?"

Seeing his pupil's bewilderment, the professor put a hand on his shoulder, comforting him with a reassuring smile.

"All of us humans die, sooner or later. It is how it must be. Although you… You are special, just as I've told you. Free of the inevitibility of death. _You_ will never die. It is because of this that you are the Ultimate Lifeform."

Shadow continued to gaze at the scientist in astonishment. All of this sounded very confusing to him.

"But why? Why must I live forever, if I am going to have to see each of your lives end? Especially… especially _Maria?_ "

This fate seemed much too cruel to the hedgehog, the more so now that he knew that his friend was fatally ill. Her grandfather, however, continued to smile.

"This is exactly why you were created, my son!" he exclaimed happily. "The reason why your own life will never run out, is that you will be able to share part of it with others! Inside you, Shadow, in your heart… there lies the antidote for both Maria's, and all of humanity's diseases!"

He did not understand it then. And, truth be told, he wasn't sure if he understood it now. Soon afterward, GUN soldiers invaded the ARK, killing Maria before her grandfather and his team of scientists were able to synthesize the cure.

Feeling his headache greatly intensify, Shadow opened his eyes again. Before him, he saw the face of Ken, looking toward him with hopeful anticipation.

"The professor… he was trying to develop a cure for the diseases which plague your planet," the hedgehog spoke, pain resounding in his low rumble. "This is why I was _really_ created."

The sergeant nodded.

"Indeed, _Shadō-sama_. No one of us may be worthy to be freed from death itself, but… You saw the people in this hospital. Does anyone deserve to suffer like that? This is the only thing I wish to ask of you. Would you… would you not want to _save us_ from this excess of suffering?"

The man's words were those of genuine concern, and expressed his own, personal sorrow. But Shadow had heard enough human words before. All they caused him to feel right now, was anger.

"Haven't I done enough for you already?!" he yelled suddenly, astounding Ken. "And what have you done for _me_?!"

All he could think of now, was the sound of the gunshot which ended Maria's life. That was far more deadly than any disease. And even _he_ , the Ultimate Lifeform, had no power to save her then.

The terrified sergeant glared at the fire in Shadow's eyes as he felt him grab his coat, jerking the man his way. Then, grinding his teeth, the hedgehog uttered-

" _Chaos Control_!"

In a flash, Ken found himself at the top of Sunshine Plaza again… dangling with his feet one hundred stories above the pavement.

" _Dō yatte_ …?" he yelped, noticing that Shadow was holding him by the lap of his coat. " _I-iya, yamero!_ " **[1]**

The hedgehog himself, however, couldn't stop thinking about Maria's death… and about the desire for revenge her grandfather later instilled within him. He saved them all once, but… didn't the humans deserve their fate? Were they worthy of being relieved from their pain and suffering?

In the meantime, the frightened man continued to scream in his grasp.

"Shadow… listen to me! This isn't you! You know what your true purpose is! Professor Gerald… it's what he wanted, too, before his grief drove him insane. Before that, he was never selfish… Please, I beg of you…! Show us your compassion! _Bring hope to humanity_!"

Hearing the last sentence made Shadow shudder… Ken feared that the hedgehog would let him go, but instead, he forcefully hoisted him up, and placed him safely on the surface of the roof. As the man's knees shook, Shadow turned his back on him, grasping his aching head with both hands now, emitting a painful howl.

Ever since his awakening after the destruction of the Biolizard, Shadow wondered why he had survived his fall to Earth. Back then, it seemed that his mission was complete, and that he would indeed die- not from old age or sickness, but from the damage his body had sustained. Yet he was awaken a second time, bereft of his memories, burdened with searching for the truth all over again. So he did, and after defeating the Black Arms, he thought he could finally rest… Was it possible that there was still more to it, though?

Again, he saw Maria, and remembered the sound of her voice when she pleaded with him to make the inhabitants of Earth his friends… to _bring hope to humanity_.

Indeed, had his only friend not died so that he could survive, and accomplish this fate?

"What… is your plan?" he once again addressed Ken in anger. As he turned around, the man could sense that, for some reason, Shadow seemed to be in the state of great mental anguish and exhaustion…

He decided not to hold the information back from him any longer.

"I wish to restart 'Project Shadow', and find a cure for NIDS. In order to do that, I intend to employ the greatest of Earth's scientific minds," he admitted after regaining his breath. Then, daring to take a step in the hedgehog's direction, he continued. "Shadow, don't you think that, without this, your mission is still incomplete? That your purpose has not been fulfilled?"

 _Maria._.. He still couldn't get her image out of his mind. _She_ was never selfish. And this was indeed what she would have wanted.

"I… have forgotten about that…" Shadow then blurted out an uneasy confession. "My creator had reprogrammed me to become his weapon of revenge after the government imprisoned him and destroyed his work. But he did that because he lost his mind. It was only much later that I found out that… this was _not_ why I was created."

The troubled creature lifted his eyes at the man. It was true, Ken was right. But there was one more important question- could Shadow really trust him? He shook with sheer wrath at the very thought of someone trying to manipulate him again. So far, his enemies have attempted to bewitch him with lies. Was it possible that a new one would now try to deceive him with the truth?

Black Doom had once used him, and he now hated both how powerless that made him feel, and the fact that it almost caused a tragedy. That experience taught him that only he knew what to do, and no one could give him orders. The Biolizard, Artificial Chaos, the Gizoid… those may have been mindless weapons, but he had witnessed their destruction. He wouldn't let himself end up like them. The beating of his own heart always reminded him that he, Shadow the Hedgehog, was not an inert tool, and would not be used for evil ever again.

If this was not the reason why he'd been given a mind and soul of his own, he didn't know what was.

The two of them, the Ultimate Lifeform and the mortal man, continued to gaze in each other's eyes for a while, each trying to figure out what was going on in the other's head.

Finally, his voice carrying a serious threat, Shadow crossed his arms and said-

"All of this could just be a show put up by yet another lying human! And I _despise_ being lied to!"

Sergeant Mitsui nodded, indicating that he understood. Then, stretching his arm over the chasm below them, he said, looking the hedgehog straight in the eyes-

"If I lie, you can kill me."

In response, Shadow snorted right back at him.

" _That_ you can be sure of."

The whole situation having been rather dramatic, Ken was still satisfied with the outcome. Breathing with relief, he bowed his head, and said-

" _Arigato_ , _Shadō-sama._ You are saving us once again. My race will never be able to sufficiently repay you for this… But if our mission is a success, if you prove to humanity that you are its cure, not a weapon meant to destroy us, perhaps they will cease to fear you, and see in you the hero you truly are?"

"Never mind that," the hedgehog answered irritably, tired with this overly long conversation. Having agreed to work with the man, he wanted to get straight to it. And be done with fulfilling his destiny once and for all.

With a determined and impatient attitude, he gazed at the man yet again.

"I'm curious to know what is the next step of your plan, now that you've convinced me to help you."

" _Hai_ ," the man said, acknowledging that this powerful being was more interested in facts than speculations. "I've mentioned that the completion of 'Project Shadow' requires the involvement of the greatest scientific minds in the world."

"Yes, you did," the hedgehog agreed, standing shoulder to shoulder with him as they gazed at the city below.

"I actually had one particular scientist in mind," Ken announced to him. "There is only one man who knows more about the Project than I do. It is professor Gerald Robotnik's grandson, Ivo."

" _Eggman_?" Shadow arched a brow, sending the sergeant a surprised look.

"Yes," the man answered in full seriousness.

" _Huh!_ " jeered the hedgehog. "You do realize that the doctor is generally self-serving and nefarious, don't you? I suspect that he would be less eager to cooperate with you than even me…"

"I do realize that," Ken responded confidently, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Do you even know where to find him? I haven't heard of him in months."

" _Dokutā Robotonikku_ is atop the GUN's list of most wanted criminals. They always keep an eye on his every move."

"Hm. I guess I could access the databases and see if I manage to find any information about his whereabouts…"

"There's no need for that, _Shadō-sama_. I already hacked into those databases. And I think I may know where our scientist is right now."

Turning Ken's way, Shadow sent him a narrowed stare. But when he spoke, it seemed that, for the first time that day, he was satisfied with what the man had told him.

"You spies really can be useful at times," admitted the hedgehog, Rouge unintentionally crossing his mind. "In that case, I guess it's time to pay the good doctor a little visit. I just hope you'll be just as useful when we actually do meet up with him, _sergeant_!"

* * *

 **AN: So I guess that, actually, the summary to this story should be more like: 'immortal hedgehog teams up with samurai to find cure for cancer' XD**

 **But YES, this is the whole huge plothole in Shadow's story! He wasn't created to destroy humanity, or to be the ultimate weapon, or to provide the GUN with a source of eternal life. Gerald Robotnik's _true_ purpose for 'Project Shadow' was to develop a cure for NIDS in order to save Maria. That's why the ARK was invaded- because the professor changed the original plan the GUN had for the Project.**

 **Ok, I know Shadow lost his memory, and even more than once. But he must have remembered that Maria was sick, right? And yet, after he saves humanity from the Biolizard and the Black Arms, even though supposedly by that time he regained his memories, he's like- _alright, guess I'll become a GUN agent now_. _AAAND…_**

… **do fun stuff like raid Eggman bases, kick people in the head, and participate in hover board championships.**

 **But in the meantime, NIDS is _still_ a thing! People are dying, while the only cure is walking the Earth, being all '** _ **meh**_ **'. Or, perhaps, Shadow** _ **hasn't**_ **fully regained his memories, and needed Ken to point out the truth to him?**

 **One way or the other, this is where their quest truly begins. Eggman better hang on to his stache!**

* * *

 **[1]** _ **Dō yatte…? I-iya, yamero!**_ **– (jap.) what the…? N-no, don't!**


	5. Eggman For Hire

**Chapter 5 – Eggman for Hire**

This may have been his best plan yet. No, this _was_ his best plan yet.

Standing in the main computer room, gazing at the blueprints displayed on the huge monitor, he admired the ingenuity of his new base. The 'Caviar Cavern', he called it- a quite witty name, he had to hand it to himself.

Before him, in front of the keyboard, busy with all the computer work, there sat an Egg Droid. Right now, he was showing him the newly updated schematics of the progressing expansion of the sparkling-fresh outpost.

" _Completion of robotic construction facility… 92%. Installment of utilities throughout the compound… 89% of completion. Total length of tunnels drilled today… 167 yards, and counting."_

As the droid stated the statistics in his robotic voice, showing to his creator the appropriate charts and maps that came along with them, doctor Eggman continued to chuckle slightly under his breath. Building a base under water proved to be less of a challenge than he'd initially thought. Hardly more cumbersome than building one in outer space…

The Caviar Cavern was especially designed to be the ultimate evil hideout- both perfectly concealed under a mountain of stone at the bottom of the ocean, as well as, what was even _more_ important, fully Sonic-proof. All of the necessary precautions have been taken care of meticulously. Just a few more days, and the full-time production of battle bots could begin. The base, equipped with more firepower than any of his former ones, would then become a perfect environment for hatching the ultimate scheme in order to finally conquer the world.

Eggman almost couldn't hold himself in, rubbing his hands together, basking in the glory of his own genius.

"Excellent, excellent!" he said to himself rather than to the droid sitting before him. "Now, show me the already completed sections again!"

There was nothing more enjoyable to him than to see the brilliance of his own creation.

" _Right away, sir,_ " responded the robot, switching the images displayed by the console. " _Sector M11. The Micro Fusion Plant. Fully operational. Sector M12. The Anti-Mass Spectrometer. Fully operational. Sector M13. The Major Particle Accelerator. Fully oper…."_

"Yes, yes! Now go to section C!" the doctor ordered him enthusiastically, almost drooling at how beautiful the shiny new things he'd built all were. Inspecting them over and over again, a task which would have probably been extremely boring to anyone else, caused the scientist almost inexpressible joy.

" _As you wish,_ " the robot obeyed promptly and passively. " _Section C1. Primary docking bay. Fully operational. Section C2. Auxiliary docking bay number one. Fully operational. Section C3. Auxiliary docking bay number two…_ "

But then, when the view from the surveillance camera in the 'auxiliary docking bay number two' was displayed, the image on screen momentarily turned into static…

 _WHAMMM!_

A loud, forceful explosion suddenly shook the very foundations of the Caviar Cavern.

" _What?!_ " gasped the thoroughly startled Eggman, throwing his arms in the air. "What was that? _What was that?!_ "

He stood in silence for a while, a dreadful feeling haunting the nefarious doctor as he listened for any new noise.

" _Running diagnosis_ …" the Egg Droid continued passionlessly, clicking the right buttons on the keyboard.

"Hurry up, you piece of scrap!" his creator hastened him, giving some extra emphasis to his order by whacking the robot on the head with his fist.

A rumbling sound came from inside of the droid, after which he said:

" _U-un-unable t-to d-d-display… visual. Surveill…ance monitoring… malfunction. ALERT! Severe structural damage detected in s-s-sector C3! Activating sprinklers."_

"Forget about that! Show me _what's going on down there!_ " the doctor screamed, beginning to feel more and more uneasy.

The view from another camera appeared on the monitor, showing nothing but smoke. But then, that also went blank…

" _Camera malfunction! Camera malfunction!"_ the robot cried out.

"Shoot," Eggman cussed under his voice. "I have a bad feeling about this... Send some sentry bots to that docking bay, immediately!"

" _Affirmative_."

The doctor had to make sure if this was just an ordinary accident, or something more. An ordinary accident probably wouldn't be destroying cameras in the room, though.

The Egg Droid switched the view to that from a corridor which led to the damaged docking bay. Thick clouds of smoke were coming out from beyond the door as a squadron of beetle bots speeded through the hallway, vanishing from sight as they entered the fumes. And then…

 _BOOM!_

" _INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"_ the droid howled even more desperately. Sirens within the computer lab were activated, illumining the walls with their dreadful crimson light.

"Errr…! How is this _possible?!_ " Eggman groaned in disbelief. He had _specifically_ designed this base to be impenetrable!

Clasping his hand over his mouth in utter shock, the scientist witnessed several flashes coming from explosions within the docking bay. Parts of the completely desolated beetle bots were thrown into the hallway and scattered around the floor. The ground shook, making the image from the surveillance camera dance hazily, and after a few more seconds, this camera too was destroyed by some extremely fast projectile, leaving the doctor with no visual of what was going on in sector C.

" _NOOO!_ " his angry cry resounded within the room. He instantly turned to the droid. "Send all of the guard robots over there! I want this intruder _stopped_!"

" _Negative. Number of troops insufficient. Intruder proceeding at an increasingly rapid pace. Time required for apprehension- insufficient…"_

"Whaaat?! Out of my way, you rusty spittoon!"

Extremely angered, Eggman grabbed his sidearm- a small laser pistol, and shot the innocent droid straight in the head point-blank. The recoil made the robot somersault out of the office chair he was occupying, and go straight to the ground.

" _BUZZZ…! Heavy da-damage sussstaaaainedddd…."_

In the meantime, the furious scientist took the seat at the main console himself, observing with horror as the red dot which signified the intruder continued to move on up the sections of the base, seemingly walking through solid walls… He was on his way to the core of the facility. Which was exactly where Eggman was right now.

"Seal the emergency bulkheads!" the doctor ordered after switching to voice-command. "Redirect all available battle bots to the main computer lab!"

As soon as the raspy shout of the Caviar Cavern's creator died down, the huge metal doors behind his back were sealed with a loud thump. Soon afterward, robots began pouring into the chamber from hidden transit routes. Turning around, Eggman viewed his final defense force…

The red light of the sirens illuminated a few dozen bots. A measly amount, caused by the fact that the attack took him by surprise in a time before the regular manufacturing of new robotic guards had begun.

Cursing his fate, the mad scientist sat at the computer console, awaiting for what would happen. He may have been stranded, but he wouldn't let himself be defeated without pulling a few hidden tricks from his sleeve…

Looking at the map of the base, he wrinkled his brow, unable to notice the red dot anymore.

"Huh? Where is he? Is this darn thing broken again?!" he screamed, bashing the monitor with his fist. And as soon as he did that…

 _KABOOOOOOM!_

The subsequent explosion almost threw him off his chair.

" _Aaaah_ …! Ekh! Ekh!" coughed the doctor, having been hit in the face with a gush of wind and smoke. Straining his eyes, he tried to figure out what had just happened…

To his shock, when the air around him cleared off a bit, he was able to see that another massive explosion had just created a huge gap in the emergency bulkhead, which was the only barrier that sealed off the computer room from the rest of the base.

Eggman gasped. The red light of the howling sirens made the smoke which emerged from the other side of the door seem like it was the very gate to hell. Among the fumes, a crooked figure appeared, standing in the midst of the debris, crossing its arms in disdain…

The intruder wasn't very tall. But those quills atop of his head… The doctor knew _those_ all too well! Was the Blue Blur about to spoil all of his work yet another time? That could _not_ be tolerated!

" _Sonic!_ " roared the furious scientist, lifting up a clenched fist. "How _dare_ you destroy my base? Haven't you ever heard of private property?!"

The hedgehog did not respond at once, however. He first made a few more steps forward, looking completely unconcerned for his safety.

As the smoke slowly evaporated, Eggman readjusted the glasses on his big nose, noticing that the intruder's fur was actually not blue… but black! That astounded him even more.

When the hedgehog finally spoke, his voice was tranquil and unperturbed, yet bearing within it a slight ring of sarcasm.

"After such a long time, you still continue to confuse me with that cerulean imposter. I'm starting to question the outstanding intelligence you are supposed to possess, doctor! Oh, and by the way- your defense squad was as useless as always."

" _Shadow the Hedgehog_ …!" Eggman issued yet another gasp, correcting himself this time. Now, he was feeling more confused than angry. Why in the world was Shadow here, anyway?

Then, the doctor witnessed a sight which was even more confusing. From behind Shadow's back, also entering through the hole in the computer room door, there came a grey-haired man, clad in leather and wielding a sword in his hand. It appeared that he was some sort of a partner to the black hedgehog. Standing by Shadow's side, the man gazed at Eggman with a stern expression.

"You really need to learn how to use the door properly!" the doctor stated, mocking them both. "But who's this you dragged along with you, Shadow? I thought you work alone!"

Not losing anything from his impassive demeanor, the hedgehog stretched out his arm, presenting his companion.

"This is sergeant Ken Mitsui. A… _retired_ member of GUN."

The man himself, not honoring the doctor with any kind of gesture of greeting apart from pointing the tip of his blade at him, said-

" _Dokutā Robotonikku_! You are a wanted criminal! Surrender now, and don't try to resist!"

Hearing such an insolent demand made Eggman grind his teeth. But when Shadow saw that, walking closer toward the main computer console, he faced the scientist, speaking more casually.

"You must forgive the sergeant's dry attitude. He's just acting like a professional soldier." The hedgehog then took a gander of the chamber, looking at all the high-tech equipment gathered therein, still not taking his eyes off the squadron of guard bots which patiently awaited their master's command. "I like your facility. How did you name this one? The 'Obligatory Underwater Level'?"

Seeing the intruders' cocky behavior only made the doctor snort in disregard.

"Sorry, but you're not welcome this time. We have a 'no hedgehogs allowed' policy here!"

After he said that, Shadow presented Eggman with a piercing look. The doctor had a feeling that he was actually enjoying himself quite a bit.

"Well, if all of this really has to end in violence… that's fine by me!"

Now that was quite enough.

" _Chaaarge!_ " Eggman screamed, addressing his robotic cronies. In a flash, they all attacked, surrounding Ken and Shadow from both sides.

" _Chaos spear!_ " said the hedgehog, immediately launching a bunch of energy projectiles which cut through the air, eliminating the first wave of guard robos in a forceful explosion. Metal parts were sent flying through the air, forcing Eggman to take cover behind his computer console.

In the meantime, the swordsman lifted up his katana, about to confront a bunch of bee bots.

"Careful," Shadow said to the sergeant after he warped behind his back, preparing another assault. "These shoot you with laser stings."

But the man just smiled mysteriously.

"I'll be fine," he assured his partner, and rushed straight at the metal swarm without hesitation. At first the hedgehog thought that he'd be fried by the robotic wasps' blasts, as they fired at him mercilessly, but before the laser bolts reached Ken's body, he clicked a button on a bracelet he was wearing, and was instantly surrounded by an energy shield which effectively reflected the projectiles.

 _Huh. GUN toys_ , Shadow thought to himself.

He had no moment to lose, however, as a bunch of other guard robos of various shapes and sizes were already rushing in to get him. Not thinking much, the hedgehog rolled up in a ball, spin-dashing straight through their lines, blowing several of them into oblivion with just that one attack. When he lifted his head, another swarm of bee bots was already charging up their stings, pointing his way, but being as fast as he was, moving with astonishing speed, he took a first one out with a homing attack, and then proceeded to destroy the rest before they were even able to notice what was going on and aim at him again.

All this time, Shadow kept observing how Ken was doing in the corner of his eye. Protected from enemy attacks by the force field, he was able to fully utilize his _kenjutsu_ techniques. The sergeant danced around the floor of the computer room, basically cutting Eggman's robots into sushi. The severed metal arms, heads, and other parts flying around were a delightful sight to behold.

In a matter of minutes, the doctor's army was reduced to nothing more but trash. Satisfied with his companion's performance, Shadow shared a nod with Ken as the two of them stood victorious. Then, kicking a bee bot abdomen which lay in his path, the hedgehog uttered-

"Hmph. A minor nuisance."

In the meantime, Eggman himself managed to crawl out from behind his console. Shaking off the dust, he observed the complete desolation of his troops with his mouth agape… But then, looking Shadow's way, he put his hands on his hips in a taunting gesture.

"Ha! Nice try, Shadow. My grandfather did not create a weakling, after all! But these were just the _easy_ ones. Now get a load of _this!_ "

Bearing a devilish grin, the doctor pressed a button, and the whole console was immediately surrounded with an energy bubble.

"Another force field?" the hedgehog arched a brow, looking Ken's way. The sergeant also sneered. "Do you think that _this_ can stop me?"

"No, but _this_ will!" Eggman answered with even more self-confidence than the two of his opponents. He then pulled some lever which the intruders had not noticed before.

Again, the sirens within the room began to howl violently. The only thing that was louder than them, was the doctor's maniacal laughter.

" _Hohoho!_ You _fools_! Witness the power of my _ultimate_ anti-hedgehog weapon! Introducing Dr. Eggman's _Magnum Eggtopus_!"

Shadow sent him a rather unimpressed glare. Looking around, he wasn't able to see no 'eggtopus'. But then, him and Ken felt the ground shake…

Eggman thought to himself that, all in all, he was lucky. The rest of his robot army may not have been completed yet, but he had designed the computer room to have this special means of defense just in case. And, owing to his extraordinary genius, that was already fully operational.

Shadow and Ken had to take a step back as the floor underneath their feet suddenly split. And from the chasm which was subsequently created…

… there emerged a metal monstrosity, equipped with eight huge robotic arms. Eggman's computer console, which transformed into its cockpit, now towered above them as the head of the Magnum Eggtopus.

The two intruders shared a communicative look. Although each of them bore a displeased frown, they also reassured each other with a nod, agreeing to fight Eggman using the fullness of their abilities.

Flexing the huge arms of his machine of destruction, the mad scientist, their adversary, continued to chuckle.

" _Hohoho…!_ This new robot is made of a polymer alloy which is immune to kinetic damage and hedgehog quills!" laughed the doctor, bragging about his beloved creation. "I suggest you quickly leave this facility, while you still have the time. If you chose to do otherwise… Well, let's just say that I'll show you exactly how _dangerous_ the Magnum Eggtopus is!"

Truth be told, this particular robot was supposed to be used against Sonic, not Shadow… but still, even despite that the doctor was sure that his machine was more than enough to defeat both the black hedgehog and his sword-wielding companion.

Grabbing the controls of the huge mech, Eggman first made it lift its eight tentacles in the air, releasing steam from the exhaust ports on its body with a brutal howl, and then slammed them against the floor, creating a minor earthquake.

But Shadow, gazing at the scientist with a jeering smirk, was completely unfazed by this demonstration of the Magnum Eggtopus' supposed power.

"You're wrong, doctor," he uttered. "I am not in danger. I _am_ the danger!"

"Ha! Let the party begin!" Eggman said in response, issuing a first assault.

The giant robot's arms began to flail all around the chamber, seemingly in a discombobulated and unpredictable manner. Shadow and Ken had to quickly split, as the tentacles were not only massive and heavy, but also had sharp claws at the end which could easily cleave a man in half.

"I'll handle myself, you go for the cockpit!" sergeant Mitsui screamed at Shadow when the hedgehog defended him from one of the arms with a spin attack. The hedgehog wasn't yet sure if the human would be able to survive a confrontation with an enemy like that, but he listened to him, regardless.

Warping faster than anyone could see, climbing higher as he moved from one tentacle to the next, Shadow stood face to face with Eggman in no time flat. The doctor could clearly catch the sight of the gruesome expression reflected on the Ultimate Lifeform's face, and knew that he meant business.

And, indeed- Eggman would have had to face the hedgehog's sharp spikes, if it weren't for the force field which protected him. When Shadow, who attempted another spin attack, simply bounced off of the impenetrable energy wall, the doctor mocked him with pure joy.

Hovering in mid-air, clenching his fists, the hedgehog then took another look at how his partner was doing.

He had to hand it to him- Ken was pretty fast himself, and his skills with the sword were worthy of note. For a human, that is.

Running swiftly to avoid the flailing tentacles of the Magnum Eggtopus, the sergeant slashed at them from time to time with his katana. And although the attacks did little to no damage, Ken was not only still alive, but also able to attract the attention of most of the arms, winning Shadow some time.

But, of course, the machine had eight limbs in total, and some of them Eggman still used to attack the hedgehog. Being forced to make a few rapid dodges, Shadow groaned in exasperation. Pulling out his gun, he fired it at one of the tentacles, the high-caliber bullets hitting their target accurately. But the Magnum Eggtopus' armor was indeed very strong, and it reflected the rounds with ease.

"Hahaha! Is that all you've got?" Eggman sneered from behind his force field.

This fight was becoming too much of a nuisance for Shadow's liking. Fortunately, however, it appeared that sergeant Mitsui had finally found a way to tip the scales to their advantage.

Evading an attack of one of the arms, he hit what appeared to be an exposed hydraulic conduits in the huge robotic limb's joint. The sharp edge of the katana was able to cut through it, and the chord began to spew black, ink-like fluid all around the floor.

Twitching spastically as if it were in pain, the tentacle whipped, flexed… and flopped like a deflated balloon.

"Aim for the hydraulics, _Shadō-sama!_ _"_ Ken yelled at the hedgehog before having to defend himself from the attacks of the remaining seven arms.

And _Shadō-sama_ did indeed do that.

Spinning through the air, he landed on the floor in front of the Magnum Eggtopus, attracting the arms to try to grab him. Then, gliding swiftly with the help of his air shoes, his gun in his hand, he shot at the tentacles' vulnerable joints. Three more conduits were hit, and immediately began gushing oil.

In the meantime, Ken was able to take one more out with his katana.

" _Nooo!_ This can't be happening!" Eggman raged inside the mech's cockpit, seeing that he now only had three more arms he was able to control.

In a desperate move, he tried to grab Shadow from both sides. But not only did the hedgehog warp with the use of Chaos Control, making two of the tentacles collide on accident, damaging their claws, but he also immediately used that opportunity to put two more bullets in those arms' hydraulic conduits.

" _ERRRRR_!" the doctor screamed, almost losing his wits from anger.

When Eggman attacked with the last arm he had left, Shadow performed a skillful back flip, landing on top of the limb. He then began to grind on its surface, moving dangerously fast and dangerously close to the cockpit…

"Take… _this!_ "

The doctor's final attack was a risky one. And the risk did not pay off at all. Instead of grabbing the hedgehog, the last tentacle missed its target and, carried by the excess of momentum, collided with the Magnum Eggtopus' body. A sound of screeching metal was heard, and sparks scattered around.

The doctor turned his head frantically, trying to spot where Shadow was now. The Black Blur, however, completely unharmed, stood on the mech's shoulder, right next to the cockpit, with his pistol aimed at the last of the tentacles' weak spots.

The hedgehog presented his former master with a slight grin. And then he pulled the trigger.

After the sound of the gunshot echoed within the room, the eighth arm flailed with a last dying convulsion, adding even more hydraulic liquid to the big black puddle which had already formed on the floor.

The Magnum Eggtopus now looked more like a huge steel weeping willow. Standing in front of it in a triumphant stance, Ken shook off the black goo from the edge of his blade, replacing it in the sheath on his back.

Eggman, powerless yet protected by his force field, glared at Shadow timidly… He may have lost, but at least he was safe. _Right?_

The black hedgehog did not look at the doctor, however. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, as if gazing at something else closely…

"Erm, what are you doing?" the anxious scientist asked him. "No, _don't touch that!_ "

But Shadow did not listen. It appeared to him that with his last, rash attack, the doctor had loosened one of the front plates of the Magnum Eggtopus' armor. It may have been impenetrable… but it looked like it was now possible to simply remove it.

Not paying attention to Eggman's vocal protests, Shadow jumped over to one of the limp tentacles in front of the mech's cockpit. Noticing a gap in between plates, he jammed his hand inside of it…

… and with a strong jerk of his arm, ripped it off of the huge robot's body. The bolts which held the armor together were shattered, and the piece of hedgehog-proof polymer was sent plummeting to the floor, exposing the machine's delicate internal organs.

Still carrying that same smirk, Shadow lifted up three fingers of his hand, gazing Eggman in the eyes smugly.

"Nooo, _not that!_ " the doctor pleaded… to no avail.

The black hedgehog then snapped his fingers, and the inside of Eggman's mech was immediately torn apart by a purple explosion of chaos energy.

"WAAAAH!" yelled the machine's creator, clenching his fingers on the armrests of his chair as the whole massive construction flashed with electromagnetic discharges a few times, and then, completely deactivated, collapsed to the ground like a house of cards.

When Eggman came to, he found himself lying in a pool of hydraulic fluid at the feet of sergeant Ken Mitsui, no longer protected by the impenetrable confinement of his energy shield.

"Ow, my head…" groaned the man, expecting that the other member of his species would show him some compassion. He was then planning to use the opportunity to grab his laser pistol, for which he was secretly looking at the bottom of the destroyed cockpit…

… until he felt Shadow pressing the barrel of his own gun against the side of his head, that is.

As he turned his eyes at the hedgehog, his mustache shaking in fear, Eggman noticed that Shadow was no longer smiling.

"Go ahead. Make my day!" said the Black Blur, successfully convincing the doctor to cease any attempts of resistance.

"I-I can't believe this!" the conquered scientist gasped, lifting his hands in the air. "You managed to destroy my ultimate anti-hedgehog weapon!"

"Puh. Ultimate?" Shadow snorted, glaring at the pile of junk behind Eggman's back with disregard. " _I_ am ultimate!"

Ken also joined his partner, standing by his side. Him and the doctor shared a look of mutual disdain.

"So what are you going to do now, huh?" the scientist inquired. "Hand me over to this GUN grunt, so the government can have me executed? Just like they did to my grandfather?"

The staring contest between the two men went on for a few more seconds. But then, the sergeant touched Shadow's arm, giving him a sign to put away his weapon.

Though reluctantly, the hedgehog complied.

" _What?_ What is the meaning of this?" Eggman asked, now totally confused.

Ken spoke to him calmly, letting go of his rugged demeanor which was no longer necessary now that the battle ended with a victory.

"I am not a member of GUN anymore, _Robotonikku-san_ ," the man explained. "Although Shadow himself is, we assure you that we are not here to hand you over to the government… even if the price they put on your head is a fairly high one."

"Why did you wreck my new base for, then?! And what are you going to do to me?" Eggman kept on asking curiously, vainly attempting to wipe away the oil which stained his red jacket.

Shadow, with arms crossed and a frown on his face, then announced to him-

"We simply are in need of as skilled a scientist as you, _doctor_."

Being no fool, Eggman quickly picked up the camouflaged note of sarcasm in the hedgehog's voice. This all sounded way too bizarre.

"Wait a minute! I thought you said you'd never work with me again!"

Shadow, however, shook his head in denial.

"Correction. I said I'd never work _for you_ ever again. This time, it's _you_ who will be working for _me_ , doctor. You've manipulated me once. Now it's time to pay your debt."

Seeing that Eggman still didn't get anything from what he was saying, the hedgehog decided to reveal his cards before his former master.

"You see, it appears that I'm not the only one suffering from occasional memory losses," Shadow spoke as if he wished to sternly reproof the scientist. "Did you also forget what was the reason of why I was created?"

"The _reason_?" Eggman repeated the hedgehog's words in bewilderment. "What do you mean? You're the Ultimate Lifeform, you just humbly admitted to that a few moments ago! You're the perfect weapon! An immortal killing machine!"

Although the doctor waved his hands in the air eagerly while saying that, since Shadow was, nevertheless, his grandfather's creation, the Black Blur himself did not enjoy those words of praise… Not in the least.

" _No!_ " he suddenly burst out with furious anger, making the scientist quiver before him. "You eggheaded _idiot!_ If it weren't for your lies and your selfish ignorance, I would have completed my destiny long ago!"

Fearing that Shadow might strangle him to death with his bare hands (as he indeed looked like he was about to do that), Eggman took a step back.

"Y-your… _destiny?_ " he yelped. "W-what do you have in mind?!"

The furious hedgehog continued to clench his fists. It was obvious to him that his creator's grandson knew all the things he was about to tell him perfectly.

"Professor Gerald, why did he create me?!" he yelled. "You know damn well that I am _not_ some mindless tool of destruction! Your grandfather may have changed his initial plan, but that was after he became just as mad as you are now! Before that, all he cared about was to save his granddaughter, _your cousin_ , from the neuro-immune deficiency syndrome! I was meant to help humanity find a cure for this disease, which has taken away the lives of even those from your own family, _doctor_! _That_ was what professor Gerald died for! Have you forgotten about it? Well, I haven't. At least not since sergeant Mitsui was kind enough to remind me. And I will not rest until this project is finally complete!"

After Shadow was done speaking, the three of them stood in silence for a while.

It seemed that the hedgehog's rant, which was filled with genuine emotions only one of which was anger, caused Eggman to reconsider certain things. After a moment of pondering, he gazed at Shadow again, rubbing his chin.

"My cousin… Maria. Yes, I remember she had suffered from NIDS before she was killed."

Mentioning that name made Shadow exhibit an even angrier expression… and also one of deep inner pain. Seeing that as a sign of vulnerability, the doctor began mocking him.

"So, now you need _me_ to help you develop a cure, in memory of your lost friend, eh? How selfless of you. I see you have learned much since our ways parted, Shadow. But perhaps you should have presented me with that request _before_ you invaded my base and destroyed my newest creations!"

It thus became obvious that Eggman was not too keen on helping them, after all.

" _Err!_ " Shadow growled with genuine fury, grabbing his gun again…

 _"Shadō-sama!_ _"_ Ken cried out, thinking that now the hedgehog would just straight-up execute the insolent mad scientist. But who would help them find the cure then?

Noticing his partner's desperate, pleading expression, the Black Blur redirected his gun, turning it from Eggman's bald head to what appeared to be the Caviar Cavern's mainframe.

"All you care about is your soulless machines!" Shadow uttered in disdain.

" _NOOO!_ " Eggman now cried out in utter horror, more so than when he himself was being held at gunpoint. "The data on the hard drives of that computer are essential to my research!"

But, not paying attention to those pleas of a madman, the hedgehog still pulled the trigger… although the bullet did not hit the mainframe, but a smaller computer console standing right by it. The monitor exploded with a loud boom, spewing out a fountain of glass, smoke, and sparks.

Eggman breathed with relief.

Sergeant Mitsui, much calmer than his partner, then came up to exchange a word with the angered Shadow.

"Let me speak to Robotnik," he proposed.

Already feeling completely disgusted with Eggman's presence, considering that Ken would perhaps be able to reason with a member of his own species, the hedgehog nodded, giving the man his leave.

The sergeant then stood before the doctor, a man of arms in front of a man of science. But there was one thing which united all humans, or at least those as nefarious as Eggman. That was their ambition.

Seeing as the doctor gazed at him haughtily, crossing his long arms, Ken adopted a tranquil, yet firm voice.

"You are a busy man, aren't you, doctor? You've tried to conquer the world more than once. But wasn't it also your ambition to unlock the mysteries of life? Perhaps Shadow can help you to take over this planet in a different way. Not by conquering it… but by winning over the hearts of men."

Eggman cocked a brow curiously…

"Hmm. What do you mean?" he hummed.

"It is simple," continued the sergeant. "NIDS is the most deadly and dreaded illness in the entire world. If you help to finalize the true purpose of 'Project Shadow', and develop a remedy for the disease, the fame of your name will spread far and wide. You will go down in glory for ages to come, and the human race will reward you dearly for saving us from one of its most feared horrors. Haven't you thought about that?"

Oddly enough, those words actually made the doctor look as if he finally began to consider the proposition. Shadow almost laughed, admiring how Ken was able to entice Eggman with the help of his own pride and lust for admiration. It took a human to know another human's vanity, it seemed.

Noticing that, the hedgehog decided to back up sergeant Mitsui's arguments with one of his own. Turning around to face Eggman again, he said to him seriously-

"If you refuse to join me, that will only mean that you are nothing compared to the scientific genius your grandfather was."

That was what ultimately tipped the scales in the two intruders' favor.

"Fine," the humiliated doctor spat the word out as if it was something bitter in his mouth that he wanted to get rid of as soon as possible. "I'll help you finish my grandfather's work."

Satisfied with such an answer, Shadow and Ken nodded.

"Very good," the Ultimate Lifeform praised the doctor's decision. "In that case, we'll leave you here for now. After all, you better clean this whole mess up. You'll have lots of work without your robots. Oh, and don't bother trying to escape- we already sank all of your ships in the docking bay."

"ERR!" grumbled the Eggman as he tapped the floor with his heel, splashing hydraulic liquid from his wrecked Magnum Eggtopus all around. One could probably fry a real egg on the top of his head right now.

As the two victorious vigilantes walked down the Caviar Cavern's corridor, returning to their own submarine which they'd 'borrowed' from the GUN that very morning, Shadow remained silent. Ken didn't expect that the hedgehog would praise him for his performance verbally, the attitude of dry partnership being enough of a sign of appreciation already. But the man, unlike the mad scientist defeated and hired by them that day, did not desire to be glorified. All he cared for was the success of the Project, to which they seemed to be one step closer now.

Finally, as they approached the demolished doors of the auxiliary docking bay number two in sector C3 of the Caviar Cavern, sergeant Mitsui decided to ask Shadow a question.

"Hasn't Sonic the Hedgehog defeated doctor Eggman on multiple different occasions in the past already?"

"Yeah," the Black Blur confirmed. "So what if he did?"

Ken removed a strand of his grey hair from his face.

"I was wondering why he never decided to... you know, _get rid of him_ for good. I mean, we all know that, until that man is alive, he will forever persist in weaving new evil schemes, right?"

Realizing that this was, actually, a pretty good question, Shadow waved his head.

"It's hard not to kill, I agree. But that's… not how Sonic works. Which, in our case, is fortunate."

He then sent his partner a look which to the sergeant seemed nearly as one of gratitude.

"Turns out the old doctor can be of use, sometimes," said the black hedgehog. "Perhaps today you've actually managed to convince him to do something good for a change."

"It wouldn't have been possible without your Chaos Control… and your excellent marksmanship, _Shadō-sama!"_ the man bowed in a gesture of appreciation, smiling for both of them. "But why do I have a feeling that you still don't trust Robotnik?"

"Huh, anyone with a brain knows he should never be trusted!" Shadow turned around to face him as they stood by their vessel. "And this is why we need to hire one more scientist. Someone loyal, who's going to be keeping a close eye on doctor Eggman while he's busy with the Project. Besides, it seems that scientists, just like soldiers, do a better job when they form a team. Even professor Gerald did not work alone, even though he was a genius."

"And I presume you know such a loyal scientist, who would be willing to join our cause?" Ken asked curiously, unfastening his katana before walking onboard the submarine.

He then saw a certain spark in the hedgehog's eyes.

"Yeah. I think I just might."

* * *

 **AN: So Eggman's underwater, Sonic-proof base is called the _Caviar Cavern_. Cause caviar is like underwater eggs. Huh-huh, get it? XD**

 **And the huge mech is called the _Magnum Eggtopus_ , cause it's the doctor's _magnum opus_ , it has eight limbs like and octopus, and it was made by Eggman... Catch my drift?**

 **Okay, I'm a stop now...**

 **So Shadow and Ken had successfully managed to 'hire' Eggman to work for them to complete 'Project Shadow', his own grandfather's work. But the black hedgehog is not going to let the nefarious doctor work on that alone. And who's this other guy whom Shadow wishes to employ? Any guesses?**

 **Thank you all for your favs and follows. How am I doing so far? Please let me know if this story is at all enjoyable to you (cause your reviews are deffinitely going to be enjoyable to me!) XD**


	6. The Emancipation Of Miles Prower

**Chapter 6 – The Emancipation Of Miles Prower**

The island was a true paradise, with a white-sanded beach on the edge of an azure sea, and a lush green palm forest covering most of its surface. The day was truly beautiful, with not even a single cloud obscuring the face of the blazing sun.

The place was uninhabited, but oddly enough, on the flat plot of land between the beach and the forest, there stood a blue bi-plane. Sounds of clanking metal could be heard around the vehicle, and a young fox was busy running around, tinkering with it.

Suddenly, the boy halted, straining his ears. It seemed that he was not alone.

"Huh?"

Some sort of noise reached him from the side of the trees. When he looked that way, he noticed a tall dark figure the appearance of which made him feel a little bit uneasy… But when the stranger walked out of the shade, the fox saw him to be an old man, dressed in a leather trench coat, supporting himself with a walking stick.

The man came over his way with a smile while the child grabbed a big wrench, just in case.

"Good morning," said the human politely, noticing that the boy was all covered in grease stains. "I really like your plane. Are you helping your father change the oil?"

"I-I'm not supposed to talk to strangers…" the kid responded uneasily at first. But since the man was clearly in the wrong, he figured he had to correct him. "... though, to answer your question, no. I actually built this plane myself. I call it the 'Tornado 2'. And I wasn't changing the oil, I was actually installing a new Gatling laser on the turret. It's a surprise present for a friend of mine!"

The fox said those things very matter-of-factly… but the man stood in complete astonishment when he saw this mere child knocking his wrench delicately against something which indeed was a huge, brand-new chain gun.

"You… _built_ this plane?!" the man gasped in deep shock, taking another gander at the impressive machine.

"Uh-huh!" the little fox answered him joyfully, grabbing a rag to wipe the grease off his fur.

The human afterwards decided to look at the kid a bit more closely. It was then that he noticed the two tails which the boy was happily wagging up and down alternately.

"Wait a minute! You're that child who saved Station Square!" he realized to his greatest surprise.

Looking away a bit bashfully, the fox blushed, digging the tip of his sneaker into the sand.

"Heh, I thought nobody remembered that anymore…" he mumbled shyly.

And then he was surprised to see that the odd man bowed to him in a gesture of deep respect. When he lifted his eyes at the stranger curiously, he addressed him in a serious manner.

"Where I come from, the many-tailed fox is known as _Kitsune_. It is a powerful spirit, and an avatar of great wisdom. I am honored to meet you, _Kitsune-san_!"

Truth be told, the boy felt totally awkward, being given such unusual praise by an adult. He just stood there at first, unsure of how to react. Finally, smiling, he scratched the back of his head and said-

"Thanks, heh-heh! I didn't known that before!"

It was strange how he had once been mocked and bullied because of his genetic deformity, while there were places in the world where that was actually seen as something positively unique and special.

The little fox wanted to bow back to the nice man and introduce himself. But then-

WOOSH!

A flash of light appeared like thunder from the blue, and right by the stranger's side, the kid suddenly saw…

" _Sh-shadow_!" he gasped, completely freaked out by the appearance of the fearsome black hedgehog. "W-what are you doing here? Uhm… Y-you're not out fox hunting again, are you...?"

For a moment, Shadow continued to eye the frightened kid in a piercing way, what sent shivers down his spine. Both his tails were tucked in between the kid's legs. But when the hedgehog noticed that, he spoke relatively calmly, and the words he uttered were even more surprising than his coming.

"No, Tails. This time, I actually sought you out because I need your help."

Shadow turned to the man next.

"This is Miles Prower, but everyone calls him Tails. You can probably guess why. He's considered by many to be a child prodigy."

"Hmm. I reckon there's even more to him than what his appearance would suggest, right, S _hadō-sama_ _?"_

 _"_ _Much_ more," answered the hedgehog.

He then went over to face Tails, who was still shivering, grasping his wrench tightly in his hands. Shadow looked the youngster straight in the eyes.

"You're afraid of me."

The fox nodded, hanging his head and fixing his eyes at the ground.

To his surprise, Shadow then said-

"There's no need for that."

Afterwards, turning to the strange human again, he introduced him as well in order to clear up the boy's doubts.

"Meet sergeant Ken Mitsui, a former GUN soldier. He's working with me in order to find a cure for the neuro-immune deficiency syndrome, what was the goal of the Project as a result of which I was created. We've already managed to convince Eggman to join us, but… we also could use the help of another genius mind in order to oversee the good doctor's work. I'm sure you understand that."

Truth be told, Tails actually found all those things exceptionally hard to understand… GUN? NIDS? The Project? Sure, he'd known of all those things before. But this bizarre proposition was so sudden that the fox felt completely confused.

There was only one question the kid was able to utter.

"And you're asking… _me_ for help?"

After all, this was Shadow standing in front of him! _Shadow the Hedgehog_ , the Ultimate Lifeform, basically the most powerful being Tails has ever encountered in his life, whom he had seen doing things not only he himself would never even dream to be capable of… but things of which _no one else_ was capable of, the only exception being Sonic himself!

And yet, Shadow didn't look like he was joking in the least bit. On the contrary- the next thing he said astounded the young fox even more, if that was even possible.

"Yes, Tails. I _am_ asking for your help. And not just because of your outstanding wit. I'm asking you for help because I know I can _trust_ you."

During the few encounters they've had, Shadow had been assured of both Tails' good heart, as well as his unfailing loyalty. Choosing him for the Project was therefore fairly easy. When the fox fixed his eyes at the hedgehog, Shadow noticed that his pupils were as wide as saucers. He then continued-

"You are a scientist, aren't you? A… creator. I suspect you might be able to understand the true intentions of _my_ creator. And he didn't want me to become humanity's menace. He wanted me to help heal this miserable planet."

"I-is that… true?" Tails asked, stammering, yet full of hope.

Shadow sent him a delicate smirk.

"Hmph. Have I ever lied to you?"

The kid lowered his head, pondering… but when he looked at the shady visitor again, he too had a smile on his face.

"No, I don't think so!"

The black hedgehog's plan seemed strange to him at first, especially that not only this rugged GUN sergeant, but even the evil doctor Eggman were a part of it, as well. Although even if Tails knew Shadow to be a rather dark creature, he still felt inspired by the fact that he wished to aid humanity in such a way.

Not mentioning that he felt extremely flattered by the Ultimate Lifeform turning to him for help… Finding a cure for NIDS! Wow, that sounded really exciting! A perfect way in which he could utilize his skills, and maybe even learn something new. Using science for the sake of humanity! At last, he could be useful!

There was only one more doubt haunting his mind, however.

"So how's it gonna be, Tails? Can I depend on you?" Shadow asked in anticipation.

"Y-yeah, sure…" the fox mumbled in response, feeling the burden of responsibility which was put on his shoulders so abruptly. "But isn't this gonna be dangerous, especially that Eggman's involved?"

All of a sudden, the GUN sergeant decided to answer that question himself. Taking a step forward, he leaned against his walking stick, and Tails was able to notice that the cane was actually the scabbard of a sword.

"You can count on Shadow and me, _Kitsune-san_ ," Ken reassured him with a smile. "You'll be safe with us."

Indeed, the man looked armed and dangerous. Whereas Shadow… well, he was _Shadow_. Perhaps there really was nothing to be afraid of, after all?

Tails was almost about to accept the two sudden visitors' proposition. But before he was able to do that, all of them heard a strange sound…

It appeared that some sort of a storm had begun, and was now moving their way!

"What in the world… is _that_?" inquired Ken glaring toward the cloud of dust which appeared on the horizon, coming from the other side of the island. There was something within the sandstorm, moving with incredible speed, getting nearer with every second.

"I should have known…" the black hedgehog reacted to the sight dryly, looking that way.

Tails, however, sent the sergeant a smile, seeing as the old soldier held his sword ready.

"Don't worry, it's just my friend! He's back from his 150-mile morning jog around the coastline."

The man cocked a brow… _Could it be?_

Indeed, as the cloud of sand got nearer, he was able notice a strange azure blur in the midst of all the dust…

The speeding phenomenon halted several yards away from them, creating a soundwave which made the leaves of the palm trees flutter. It turned out to be caused by another hedgehog- a blue one, who was wearing headphones in his ears and now began walking over their way humming a song with his eyes closed, oblivious to Ken and Shadow's presence.

" _They call me Sonic, 'cause I am faster than sound, I keep on jumping around. Blue hedgehog Sonic, with incredible speed, I'm moving my feet…"_ he sang under his nose, making the two arrivals exchange a look.

"I don't suppose I need to tell you who _this_ is?" Shadow spoke as if he wasn't very pleased with the other member of his species' presence.

In the meantime, Tails ran up to his friend, attracting his attention by waving his hand in the air.

"Sonic! Look who's here!" the fox presented the visitors to him, making the Blue Blur take his headphones off.

The hedgehog instantly smiled.

" _Hey!_ What's up Shad, my edgy faker doppelganger! Long time no…"

But Shadow raised a hand, immediately cutting him off.

"Don't. Just… _don't!_ " he ordered, frowning. "We've been through this already, Sonic! You're way younger than me. Which, according to basic logic, makes _you_ the faker."

Although it was obvious that the blue hedgehog was just kidding, it seemed that Shadow took his words very seriously. Seeing that the Ultimate Lifeform was being his old self again, Sonic lost a little bit of his cheerfulness.

Then, the black creature addressed him again.

"Why am I even talking to you?" he uttered sternly, crossing his arms. "You're not who we're here for. _Tails_ is."

With a snort and a smirk, Sonic then glared at the unfamiliar man accompanying Shadow, who was also observing him carefully.

"Oh, so you finally learned how to work in a team, huh?" the blue hedgehog spoke with just a pinch of sarcasm, seemingly teasing his rival. "I'm impressed! You got Rouge and Omega tucked away somewhere behind those palm trees, too? Are you guys on some sorta mission, or something?"

But Shadow did not enjoy being interrogated just as much as he didn't enjoy mockery.

"I don't like your attitude, Sonic! And besides, I don't have to tell you _anything!_ " he spoke with growing irritation.

But that only caused the other hedgehog to wag his finger at him playfully.

"Now Shads, remember what happened last time you were saving the world? You _died_!"

" _Uh,_ that wasn't last time, that was _before_ that! Since then, I've become far more powerful!"

Shadow was so exasperated he clenched his fists, looking as if he was about to punch Sonic in the noggin. Fearing that things were about to slip out of hand, Tails quickly stepped in, standing in between them.

"Sonic, Shadow's going to have me and doctor Eggman work on a cure for NIDS!" the kid explained eagerly. "It's what professor Gerald Robotnik was initially trying to develop while working on Project Shadow! If we succeed, this will revolutionize modern medicine, and save thousands of lives!"

Tails was sure that, after hearing what the plan really was, his friend would be just as ready to help them as the fox himself. But not only did Sonic narrow his eyes and rub his chin very suspiciously. When the boy turned around, he noticed that Shadow was covering his face with a hand…

"Oh… I wasn't supposed to say that, were I?" Tails mumbled in embarrassment, biting his tongue after realizing that he'd just spilled the beans…

Obviously, the biggest problem was when Sonic heard that _Eggman_ played a role in Shadow's new project.

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight," the blue hedgehog said, addressing his rival in a very unfavorable tone. "Did that egghead dupe you into working for him again? You've done some shady stuff before, but teaming up with _Eggman_? That's being about as gullible as Knuckles! C'mon, Shadow! You're better than this!"

"You don't understand _anything_!" the one whom these words were aimed at growled, now _seriously_ angry.

But, thinking the whole thing to be a huge scam, the Blue Blur himself was unfazed by that. Continuing to narrow his eyes suspiciously, he looked toward Shadow's companion again.

"And who's this guy, anyway?" he inquired.

"Sergeant Ken Mitsui, former member of GUN," the man introduced himself, bowing delicately, yet without any exaggerated courtesy.

"Oh _really_?" Sonic did not greet him back, instead turning to his companion. "So, is your comrade married? What's his favorite food? Does he like driving huge GUN trucks equipped with buzz saws, or does he prefer brooding in dark caves?"

"How should I know that?!" Shadow screamed in response to his interlocutor's nonsense.

The Blue Blur offered him another snort.

" _Ha_! See? You don 't know the basic info! So you're tryin' to employ Tails, who's just a kid, and take him on a mission involving a complete stranger, and a criminal mastermind who's already tried to kill us countless times in the past?!"

After another moment of looking at his furious rival with his hands on his hips and a cocky expression, Sonic burst out laughing.

" _Hahaha!_ Cool joke, Shads. Had me in stitches. See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!" Walking pass the furious Shadow, he then waved at his friend to follow him back to the Tornado. "Tails, start the engines!"

But after those words were spoken, something so unexpected happened that the blue hedgehog would be less surprised by Shadow kicking him in the back of the head right now. Meaning, the young fox did not listen to his guardian's words. Instead, remaining where he stood, he mumbled-

"I don't know about that, Sonic…"

" _Huh?_ " his friend said in astonishment. Turning around to face the kid, he smiled again. "Oh c'mon, you weren't _actually_ planning to go with them, were you?"

Although, as shocking as it was, it looked as if Tails' intentions were indeed directly opposed to those of his old friend.

Seeing the conflict between them as an advantage, Shadow decided to enter the conversation.

"Let the fox make his own decisions for once, Sonic! It's not like you're his father!"

Feeling a bit crestfallen, the Blue Blur stood with a gaping mouth, not having an answer ready… What was worse, with the Ultimate Lifeform on his side, Tails actually seemed to have gained some extra confidence.

"He's kinda right there, you know," the fox stated firmly, yet still politely. "Truth be told, for the past couple of years of being your sidekick, I've basically become kinda like Ghost the Direwolf in Game of Thrones. I do _nothing_! You even fired me in Sonic Boom…"

The last sentence was spoken with a delicate note of sorrow and reproof.

"You did, actually," Shadow backed the statement up, gazing at Sonic with a lot heavier accusation.

"Wait… the game or the show?" the hedgehog asked them, scratching his head in confusion.

"Show," Tails answered. "A-and in your band, you had me play _bass_!"

But Sonic shook off the allegations presented against him arrogantly.

" _Meh_ … Sonic Boom isn't canon, anyway. Plus, I don't appreciate your sass, Tails!"

Now that response seemed greatly injuring to the fox, who hung his head sadly. This was a sight his friend did not enjoy, so running up to him, he proceeded to nudge the fox in the side with an elbow.

"You remember Sonic Mania? _Huuh_?" the hedgehog attempted to rehabilitate himself. But Tails moved away from him, addressing his friend seriously, if not with a slight bit of irritation.

"For clarity's sake, in Mania, that's not you. It's that other Sonic from a different dimension, the one who doesn't talk. And besides, he teams up with Mighty the Armadillo and that flying something-or-other in Mania Plus, so that invalidates your argument even further."

The situation now became quite bitter for both of them… Neither of the two companions liked to argue. Only this time, Tails had a strong conviction of being right, and he just wished that his _de facto_ guardian would understand that.

"What's the matter? You once told me I should man up, remember?" he smiled at Sonic again, trying to ease the tension a little bit. "Besides, I thought you loved adventures!"

"Yeah, but you also have to use your brain, little pal!" the hedgehog returned the smile.

"Sometimes, you have to follow your heart rather than your intellect. A close friend taught me that," Tails instantly responded, obviously having Sonic himself in mind. "I have a feeling that we can trust Shadow this time."

The Blue Blur snorted. It was then that the fox noticed that his smile was a smug one rather than that a friendly one… They may have been best buds, but Sonic was definitely the more stubborn one of the duo.

"Oh yeah? Well sorry to say this, Tails, but I don't share that feeling," the hedgehog answered starkly, crossing his arms. "Not with Eggman involved!"

Next, he turned to Shadow himself, who had been listening to their whole argument intently, standing by Ken's side.

"And you, you're not Tails' father, either!" Sonic pointed his finger at him with a jeering grin. "I know you, though, and I'm sure this is all just a big scam!"

Hearing how cocky were his words, the black hedgehog gazed at his rival with disdain. He took Sonic's sneering attitude as a challenge, and his response therefore became one of open threat.

"No, you don't know me. If you did, you'd know how foolish it is to stand in my way!"

Suddenly, Ken pulled his sword slightly out of the sheave, giving even more emphasis to the fact that the two of them would not permit themselves to be deterred.

"I am disappointed in you, _Sonikku-san_!" the sergeant addressed the blue hedgehog with an angry face. "I once took you for a friend of humanity, whereas now you show yourself to be no more than a presumptuous juvenile!"

Tails bit his lip again, fearing that a brawl was now inevitable…

Staring straight into his jeering opponent's eyes, with a gesture of his hand, Shadow showed Ken to put his katana away.

"I'll deal with this myself," he said coldly.

Taking a few steps forward, he then confronted the Sonic, and pulling his gun out, aimed it straight at him.

"I'll complete my mission with or without you!" he warned his rival.

But the Blue Blur remained exactly where he stood, bearing his trademark smirk, fully confident that his speed would be enough to dodge his opponent's bullets.

Tails, however, did not look too happy about this arrangement.

" _Shadooow_!" he yelped pleadingly, fearing for his friend's safety.

Breaking the staring contest he held with Sonic, the black creature redirected his sight at the scared fox. After a few more moments, he put his pistol away.

"You may as well surrender," he taunted, brandishing his fists to indicate that they were just as dangerous a weapon. "Did you forget? I am the ultimate hedgehog!"

"Well, _I'm_ all that and a bag of chips, Shad!" Sonic responded cockily, rubbing his nose in disregard.

Without warning, Shadow issued a first attack, his air shoes kicking a cloud of beach sand into the air. Moving quicker than the eye could see, the Blue Blur narrowly avoided the assault.

"Ha! You're too slow!" Sonic teased the furious black hedgehog, who only growled in response, grinding his teeth.

"That's what _you_ think. But I only lose to you when it's plot convenient!" Shadow retorted, immediately rushing in with another attempt to acquaint his fist with Sonic's jaw.

In the meantime, Tails had to jump into the air and fly away from the battlefield in order not to be trampled by the two fighting hedgehogs. Retreating under the palm trees, he stood by Ken's side as the man's astonishment grew when he observed the battle going on before his eyes, as well as the fact that the two-tailed _kitsune_ could fly.

Over at the beach, the duel was still a tied one. Sonic was mostly on the defensive, not looking too eager about winning. Shadow, on the contrary, did not cease to try to knock his opponent out. But since the two's speed was comparable, each of the black hedgehog's lightning-fast kicks and punches found its response in the blue one's lightning-fast dodges and counters.

" _Hahaha_! Not exactly _on your terms_ , eh?" Sonic sneered at his rival after receding by a few dozen yards in one flash. "Never underestimate sonic speed!"

"Come back here and fight me!" Shadow yelled at him, instantly rushing into pursuit. But Sonic just kept on moving away, causing the black creature to hit nothing but air.

"Check out my sweet moves!" the younger hedgehog laughed again, showing off his acrobatic skills by standing on one hand. That only caused Shadow to narrow his eyes.

"The only 'sweet' thing about this fight will be to see you lose it! Now, get over here!" he ordered, gliding above the sand. But Sonic avoided his attack yet another time, halting at the edge of the beach, sticking out his tongue.

"Alright, run," the older fighter rebuked his childish behavior. "That's all you're good at anyway, right?"

And this time, it was Sonic who became triggered. Assuming a more angry expression, though still grinning, he attacked Shadow for the first time. But before anyone could notice what was going on, both battling hedgehogs turned into nothing more than two blurs of color, flashing from one end of the beach to the other.

" _Kuroi kaze_ …" Ken, mesmerized by the spectacle, gasped over by the palm trees. **[1]**

Tails, who was standing by the sergeant's side, also spectating, laughed.

"Too fast for the naked eye, right? _Ooh_ , that was a nice homing shot…"

But the man sent him a curious look, wondering how the fox was even able to see what was going on, since the fighters now seemed to literally be moving faster than the speed of sound.

"Wait a minute!" Tails said to him, as if remembering something. He afterwards ran over to the plane and, grabbing some item from his tool box, brought it back to Ken. "Here, take this. These are my sonic goggles. They should help you see the fight better."

"You made these, as well?" the sergeant arched a brow, seeing that the _kitsune_ managed to surprise him yet again.

Tails nodded, happily swinging his two fluffy appendages around. Ken then put his invention on, continuing to spectate.

The fight shifted from happening on the ground and in midair in a matter of an eye blink. Neither of the opponents had gained any visible advantage over the other, though. Every one of Shadow's punches seemed to hit Sonic's defensively outstretched forearm, and each time Sonic issued a kick, all he hit was the metal tip of Shadow's shoes.

The battle of words continued regardless, however.

" _Ha!_ Who's the coolest hedgehog now, huh, Shad?" Sonic inquired in a mocking tone, not stopping his bombardment of a hundred punched per second.

"You're no hedgehog!" Shadow retorted, countering his attacks with ease. "You're a mix between Mickey Mouse, Son Goku, the Roadrunner, and Bill Clinton! _And_ you've got ADD!"

Those words may have angered him or it may have just been a joke, but nevertheless, right after he heard them, Sonic attempted to spin-dash Shadow in the gut. Missing by a quarter of an inch, he landed on the sand, putting his hands on his hips. Gazing at his rival with a grin, he then said-

"You should talk… mister genetically engineered Vegeta-Bat Man-Deadpool-grumpy cat hybrid with PTSD and _chest hair_! Oh no, wait a sec. Actually, scratch that. What I really meant to say is- _gritty me with a gun!_ "

Now that last insult was way too much for Shadow to bear… Clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles started to crack, he gazed at Sonic with live flames burning in his red eyes.

"Ooh, the burn, right?" the Blue Blur mocked him in the face. "Stick _that_ in your smoke and pipe it!"

Under the shade of the palm trees, watching their argument through Tails' sonic goggles, Ken was becoming more and more concerned that the two fighters would murder one another… He expressed those worries to the fox, but Tails himself, who knew both Sonic and Shadow well, simply waved them off.

"Nah, this is not like a for-real fight," said the boy. "If it were, half of the island would probably be on fire by now…"

But coincidentally, right after he said that, a blinding flash surrounded the two hedgehogs, and a couple of brilliant projectiles were sent flying toward the forest…

… where they instantly caused an explosion so violent it made both Ken and Tails cover their heads. Its echo boomed over the sea, the ground underneath their feet shook, and a couple of big palm trees, ripped out of the dirt with root and stem, were sent rolling through the air, collapsing just a handful of yards away from where they were standing. Smoke arose from the sight of the explosion, indicating that a fire had indeed been started.

The man and the fox looked at each other, a bit more worried.

"That was chaos spear!" Tails observed. "I guess things just got serious…"

Back on the battlefield, Sonic also seemed a little worried, noticing the damage Shadow's attack, which the blue hedgehog barely dodged, had caused. And the Ultimate Lifeform used that moment of distraction perfectly.

Warping above Sonic's head, he did an instant three-sixty flip, kicking his rival in the back. Knocked away by the momentum, the blue hedgehog yelped… and fell straight into the sea with a huge splash.

" _Sonic!_ " gasped the frightened Tails, seeing as his friend began to flap his arms around desperately as soon as he resurfaced. Shadow remained hovering in midair, and seemed to be waiting for his opponent to drown.

The fox therefore reacted automatically. Propelling himself with the help of his two tails, he flew over to his friend and, grabbing him by the hand, pulled him out of the water under Shadow's displeased stare. He then dropped his friend safely on the beach.

Sonic coughed as he stood up, shaking the salty liquid off his quills. He hated getting water in his shoes… and in his lungs, as well.

But when he noticed that Tails, instead of aiding him in the fight, simply returned under his tree, the hedgehog grumbled at him as well.

Shadow was already descending from the sky, lifting his head haughtily, awaiting another attack. But Sonic was actually ready for it even before his self-confident opponent.

Attacking swiftly with a spin roll, the Blue Blur managed to catch his rival off-guard. Hitting him in his hairy chest, he sent the black hedgehog falling to the ground like a bolt of thunder.

Ken and Tails strained their eyes, waiting for the dust to drop. Then, in the midst of a three-foot-deep crater, they saw Shadow again, standing erect and clenching his fists furiously…

 _„Shadō-sama!_ _"_ Ken yelled at him suddenly, attracting his partner's attention.

"Huh?" the hedgehog turned around, keeping Sonic in the corner of his eye.

"Take this!"

The sergeant then threw some small object to Shadow, which the hedgehog caught in midair. Looking at what lay in his palm curiously for a while, he exhibited a mysterious smile and, looking back at Ken, nodded at him communicatively.

In the meantime, Sonic was already standing on the edge of the crater with his arms crossed, his cocky smirk indicating that he was ready for another round.

But so was Shadow.

Gazing at his opponent maliciously, the black creature lifted up a hand.

" _Chaooos…_ " he began, making Sonic drop his smile.

"Hey! You can't do that! That's cheating!" protested the Blue Blur. But it was already too late.

"… _Control!_ "

All that the bystanders were able to see as Shadow warped through time and space, was a flash of light. Immediately afterward, the black hedgehog was no longer at the bottom of the crater, but right by the other fighter's side. And he was holding him tightly by the wrist.

Sonic himself was obviously not too satisfied with this situation.

" _Cheater!_ Hands off!" he yelled, pushing his opponent away. But Shadow let him go without much struggle, taking a step back and standing with a triumphant expression.

It was at this moment that Sonic noticed that, using Chaos Control, his rival had locked some sort of a bracelet around his wrist.

"Huh? The heck is this thing?" wondered the blue hedgehog, trying to take the undesirable piece of jewelry off. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't manage to succeed.

Ken and Shadow shared a smile. The Ultimate Lifeform nodded, and the man then pressed a button on some sort of a remote he'd been concealing in his hand until now.

Sonic was then instantly surrounded by a glowing energy bubble, which trapped him inside.

Convinced that this meant he won the fight, Shadow stood before the force field, looking very satisfied with how his and Ken's little plan had worked.

"Heh. Didn't even break a sweat!" he jeered, making the hedgehog stranded within the bubble _extremely_ angry.

"Not cool, Shadow!" Sonic banged the impregnable surface of the force field with both of his fists. Realizing that there was virtually no way he could escape, he pressed his palms against the glowing wall in despair.

And that caused Shadow even more delight.

"Live and learn, Sonic the Hedgehog!" the battle's victor went on with his taunts. "You have an exaggerated opinion about your abilities. In fact, you should go back to fighting school!"

"But… that wasn't a fair move!" complained the conquered juvenile, still quite shocked.

"I do what I want," Shadow responded, what made Sonic furious again. Curling up in a ball, he attempted to spin-dash through the wall of his prison, but all he achieved was rolling around the axis of the bubble a few dozen times like a blueberry in a blender. When he halted, he began punching the hated barrier all over again.

"Lemme out and face me fair and square, you _cheater_!" he roared at Shadow.

"Any other time, Sonic," his rival answered calmly. "But for now, I need you right where you are- out of my way. This is the last time you've interfered when I'm trying to do something to make this pathetic planet a better place."

" _Errrr…!_ " the angered Blue Blur looked as if he was about to turn red. Desperately searching for a solution, he turned toward his friend. "Uh, Tails…? A little help here? Tails, _I can't get out without you!_ "

But the fox, although he was obviously not happy about how things turned out, stood completely powerless.

"Sorry, buddy…" he hanged his head apologetically. "It's just that… if I follow you forever, I think I'll never see the light!"

It was unbelievable! It appeared that, even though Shadow had attacked him, the fox still wanted to listen to the black hedgehog, and not to his oldest friend! Now that made Sonic _really_ mad.

" _Damn it, Tails!_ " he yelled so loud his voice got raspy. "Get me out of here!"

But, at once, he felt embarrassed by the way everyone gazed at him… Especially Tails himself.

"Sonic, mind your language!" gasped the kid, looking completely scandalized.

Humiliated and defeated, the blue hedgehog groaned in exasperation, tapping the ground with his sneaker… He first turned his back on everyone, but then, feeling remorseful about his outburst, mumbled-

"Sorry about that… See what the result of sticking around _this guy_ is?" Then, looking Tails' way again, he added, "Is this how you're gonna repay me for saving you from years of bullying and taking you under my quills?"

" _Soniiic!_ " the boy whined sadly, very sorry for having to contradict his friend like that… but what could he do? He had to follow his heart, ultimately.

It was at this time that Shadow decided that this conversation had gone for long enough. Confronting Tails, he addressed him firmly-

"Forget about him. He's not worth your worrying."

"But… what're you gonna do with him?" inquired the fox, still concerned for his friend's wellbeing.

The black hedgehog wondered for a while, considering that it would indeed be wrong to just leave Sonic in the middle of a deserted island like that.

"Sadly," he concluded, "it appears that we're gonna have to bring him along with us."

Hearing that, Tails almost skipped for joy, sending his stranded buddy a smile. But Sonic himself just lied down on the bottom of the bubble with his hand under his head, sticking out his tongue and giving them all a big thumbs-down.

"Yeah, whatever," he mumbled, "just don't come runnin' to me when Eggman turns all of you into badniks!"

He looked extremely offended, not enjoying his vacation being terminated against his will like that. This made Tails' ears drop again.

"Sorry, Sonic…" he apologized silently. "Don't be mad! I-I saved you from drowning, didn't I…? I promise to make sure they'll treat you right…"

But Shadow, who's already had enough of this island, turned to him and said-

"Enough games!" Then, looking toward the Tornado, he narrowed his eyes curiously. "Say, is that a new Gatling gun on that bi-plane?"

"Yes, it is! Glad you noticed!" smiled the fox, sending Sonic a look which meant to indicate he expected _him_ to notice it first.

But Sonic just snorted, saying-

"You paid for that using _my_ credit card again, didn't you?"

Tails did not respond, frowning in embarrassment… But then he was surprised to see sergeant Mitsui approaching him. The man smiled, looking very satisfied with the outcome of their encounter, even if the forest behind his back was still on fire.

"Welcome aboard, _Kitsune-san_!" Ken said, stretching out his hand toward the fox.

"Thanks!" Tails responded with a smile, shaking it.

The boy next flew over to Shadow, and did something the black hedgehog did not expect. Namely, he stretched his hand out to him, as well.

For a few seconds, the Ultimate Lifeform continued to fix his eyes at Tails' white, grease-stained glove… but then he grabbed it, and shook firmly. Thus, the alliance was formed.

Sonic rolled his eyes at all of them, still lying idly on the bottom of his force field bubble…

"Right," summarized Shadow, turning toward the Tornado again. "We've wasted enough time. Now… _let's get moving!_ "

* * *

 **AN:** _ **(sings) 'I wanna fly high so I can reach the highest of all the heavens…'**_ **XD**

 **Just to set things straight- I do** _ **not**_ **dislike Sonic. But I** _ **do**_ **like Tails more, ever since I played StH2 and realized how much better the gameplay was while playing with the lil' fox (who can run basically just as fast as Sonic, plus being able to fly and swim!).** _ **Tails has been abused and neglected for far too long!**_ **Sonic may be a good guy all in all, but sometimes, his arrogant attitude turns him into kind of a jerk. _Especially_ toward the two-tailed fox, whom he'd kinda distanced himself from throughout the years. Tails** **needs to finally get out on his own, and in my story, he will do just that by joining Shadow in his quest to find the cure for NIDS.**

 **Sonic is going to tag along as well, obviously, but this time, it's him who's gonna be left out in the shadows. Trapped thanks to another one of GUN's toys, he won't be the hero of this story, and he will not be liking it. I'm telling ya, there's nothing as satisfactory as kicking the Blue Blur's behind during Tails' campaign in Sonic Battle! Sorry man. I still love you, though ;)**

 **Oh, and by the way- you can look up the song Sonic is humming, if you like. It's actually pretty dope!**

* * *

 **[1]** _ **Kuroi kaze**_ **– (jap.) black wind.**


	7. An Unlikely Alliance

**AN: Holy crap, I just saw part 2 of the 'Sonic Mania Adventures' on the Tube (which is awesome, btw), and it starts almost exactly like the previous chapter of my story XD The Zorrito is officially back in business!**

 **Anyways, let's get back to Shadow now.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - An Unlikely Alliance**

The human, the fox, and the two hedgehogs exited the GUN submarine, standing within the primary docking bay of Caviar Cavern. Only three of them proceeded from their own free will, however. Sonic was still securely locked within his energy bubble, which sergeant Mitsui programmed to float slightly above the floor, following him around wherever he went.

As the team ventured deeper into the sections of Eggman's underwater base, the blue hedgehog observed the devastation Ken and Shadow had caused here with a frown on his face. He didn't enjoy being in this place, especially that he knew there was a deep, dark ocean right above his head…

Shadow himself, however, proceeded through the halls with determination, leading them all to the core of the facility. Back in the submarine, he briefly explained to Tails (and to Sonic, who listened to their conversation) how Ken and him managed to hunt down the doctor in his new base, and force the evil scientist to agree to work for them. But although the fox then attempted to point out to his friend that Shadow was not a part of Eggman's plan, but that it was the other way around, Sonic remained reluctant, and to Tails' dismay, refused to speak to him.

Right now, as they moved through the holes which Shadow had blown in the walls with the use of chaos energy, they could already hear a distant voice of the Caviar Cavern's only inhabitant, seemingly yelling at one of his robotic slaves.

" _Egg Droid! Where's my coffee?!"_

When Shadow stood before the damaged bulkhead leading to the main computer room, he was indeed able to see a recently repaired android with a metal patch on the side of his head, flying around and running errands for his master. As the robot presented to Eggman a tray with an iced Americano, the scientist snatched his drink, and continued to scream.

"Now, how's the reconstruction of the base coming along? I want to hear a full report, pronto!"

From the high-pitched voice of the Egg Droid, as well as the dirt and scratches that covered his body, one could infer that Eggman actually hired his last remaining minion to rebuild his base all by himself.

" _Reparation of sustained damage- 0,012%. Approximate time of completion- 17088 days. WARNING! Massive hardware overload…"_

But the doctor himself didn't seem too concerned with his robot's wellbeing as he took a sip of his coffee. Right afterwards, he shooed him away, returning to his work.

Emitting an unpleasant beep, the Egg Droid started off back to his duties. But as he turned away from Eggman, his sensors suddenly detected the presence of the four lifeforms which were entering the chamber at that very moment.

" _INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"_ cried the robot, throwing his arms in the air and blinking with red lights.

The professor turned around, at first wishing to express to Shadow how surprised he was that the hedgehog returned so soon. But when he saw who was accompanying the black creature…

" _No!_ " the scientist yelped in despair after he noticed whom Ken was holding captive in his energy cage. "I can't believe you brought that _blue hamster_ to my secret base!"

The doctor was furious, but that only caused Shadow to stand before him with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. Sonic, however, was way more talkative.

"Ol' rotten Eggman!" he teased his arch enemy from inside the bubble. "Whatever happened to 'blue rat'? Then again, this thing does kinda look like one of those running wheels… Sorry for barging in like this, but the doors were open."

Sonic pointed at the gaping hole in the main door behind his back with his thumb, making the skin on the scientist's bald head turn crimson… The cocky hedgehog then took a closer look around the room, examining the machinery gathered therein.

"So this is your new 'anti-hedgehog' base, huh?" he sneered, noticing that much of the chamber had been severely damaged during Shadow's first raid. "Nice goin' there, Eggperson. Ya done goofed again."

Instead of answering, the doctor went over to face Shadow, tense like a piano string. Gazing angrily from behind his glasses, he sent an unwelcoming look to Ken, and also to Tails, whom he was also not too happy to see. But when his wrath settled a bit, Eggman actually realized that something was wrong with this picture.

"Wait. How come the fox gets to walk around freely, whereas the hedgehog is stuck behind that force field?" wondered the scientist, attempting to come even closer to his trapped enemy.

Shadow, however, would not permit him to do that. Standing in Eggman's way, he growled-

"That's none of your concern. Now back off!"

Obviously unable to contradict the Ultimate Lifeform in any way, the doctor yielded… but not before grinning at Sonic in a dastardly way, which made the blue hedgehog groan back at him angrily.

"Idle talk is not why we're here for!" Shadow then went on. "You've had enough time to think of a way to complete the Project, doctor. Now, I'm waiting to hear about what you've come to."

Eggman continued to grin mysteriously.

"Indeed!" he responded, waving his hand at all of them in an inviting gesture. "Allow me to show you my latest creation!"

As the mad scientist made his way back to the middle of the chamber, Shadow cocked a brow at him. All that lay there were the miserable remains of the Magnum Eggtopus. The mech's shattered guts had apparently been removed, and the body re-used for some other purpose.

"It's almost ready," the doctor explained cryptically. "All it needs now is the chaos drive to be installed. _Egg Droid!_ Activate the crane!"

" _Affirmative!"_ answered the robot, quickly rushing to the console of a large crane which stood by the re-purposed mech.

When the droid pulled a lever, the metal arm installed a glowing crystal within the bowels of the machine. Rubbing his hands in glee, Eggman nodded at his minion again, who quickly hovered over to him with an especially prepared bottle of champagne, which the doctor smashed against the body of his freshly completed contraption.

"Gentlemen, I present to you the _S. S. Magnum Eggtopus_!" he announced to his stupefied visitors, who looked at one another unsure of what all of this had to do with Project Shadow.

The only one who seemed to get anything from the mad scientist's actions, was the other genius in the room- Tails.

"This thing… it's some sort of a space vessel, isn't it?" the youngster pointed out, attracting Shadow's attention.

"A _spaceship_?" wondered the black creature. "Why would we need that? Have you been wasting our time on pointless endeavors, doctor?"

Eggman himself, however, had a ready explanation for the team of allies, each of whom gazed at him with a stern accusation in their eyes.

"What, you didn't expect that I'd simply be able to finish my work here, did you, Shadow?" the scientist asked innocently. "Why, I haven't got the right materials! I've always been interested in the more _militaristic_ aspects of the Project. All of my grandfather's medical reports are still back where they always used to be- within the archives of the _Space Colony ARK_!"

Sonic noticed that, as soon as Shadow heard that name again, the muscles on his face twitched slightly. He was definitely not satisfied with what Eggman just revealed to him, although he didn't let it show. Ken and Tails, however, were greatly surprised, and their shock was easily visible.

"The ARK?" sergeant Mitsui repeated the doctor's words as if the space station he read about in the GUN databases were a mythical location from some fairytale.

"That's where Shadow was created," the fox explained to the man. "Professor Gerald's lab must still be there, too. Maybe if we do travel to that place, we will be able to find what we're looking for!"

"Oh man, _another_ space trip?" Sonic rolled his eyes, whining in exasperation. Then, after taking another gander at the 'S. S. Magnum Eggtopus', he turned toward Shadow. "And you're planning to take _this thing_ to get there? Aren't you gonna call _that_ 'shoddy craftsmanship'?"

"Shut your mouth, you spiky little fiend!" Eggman instantly thundered at his foe's insolence. After all, he had spent many hours trying to convert a broken-down war robot into an operational space shuttle, and demanded at least the tiniest bit of appreciation!

It was Shadow who had to separate the two fighting individuals again. Himself looking rather gloomily, realizing that they indeed had no choice but to follow Eggman's suggestion, the hedgehog turned to Tails.

"Check the ship," he instructed him.

Nodding eagerly, happy that he could finally be of use, the fox flew over to the cockpit of the vessel, which was in the place of the Magnum Eggtopus' head. After he vanished from their sight, the rest waited for a few minutes, listening to the clicking and clanking sounds which came from the inside. Shadow was becoming noticeably impatient, when Tails finally stuck his head out through the window.

"Everything's okay!" he announced happily. "The inside has been adapted for travel, and the chaos drive should provide us with more than enough energy for a trip to the ARK and back. I haven't noticed any traps, either…"

After Shadow heard those words, he gazed at Eggman warningly. But the doctor just continued baring his teeth.

"Oh, why would I try to deceive you?" he asked. "After all, we are working for the good of humanity, aren't we?"

With a snort, the black hedgehog then went over to face Sonic.

"Guess I'm going, too," said the prisoner. But when he noticed that Shadow was sending him a look which meant to indicate that he better not try any tricks as well, he added- "Would ya stop giving me that stink eye? It's becoming hard to breathe in here!"

Soon afterward, everyone made their way inside the S. S. Magnum Eggtopus. At first, Eggman wanted to pilot the ship himself, but after Shadow insisted that he permit Tails to do that, the doctor agreed to let the fox join him as co-pilot.

When the engines were started, the Egg Droid waved goodbye to his master, returning to his many tasks in the base. The ceiling of the computer chamber opened, revealing a hidden floodgate. Eggman then manipulated the Magnum Eggtopus to ascend the walls with the use of the machine's repaired arms, and after positioning it within the sluice as if in a launch platform, made it eject through the top of the underground mountain like lava from an erupting volcano. The ship then cut through the ocean water, the atmosphere, and straight into space.

Shadow remained silent throughout the flight, taking up the task of watching Sonic. The blue hedgehog lay within his bubble seemingly asleep and unconcerned, but as he opened an eye from time to time, he could notice the gloomy expression exhibited on his rival's face…

Shadow only moved when he heard Ken's voice calling his name. As he joined the sergeant in the cockpit, the man showed to him the sight which was now visible outside the window- the hemispherical shape of the ARK, moving closer and closer. A view which reminded the black hedgehog of the pain he'd once experienced here…

Eggman and Tails turned off the engines and made the ship hover in mid-space right before the entrance to one of the station's docking bays. The doctor then established a connection with the ARK's computer, and a message asking for an entry code appeared on the screen. Eggman typed in the password… but the computer showed an error.

"Shoot!" cursed the scientist, trying another time. But again, to no avail.

"It appears the entry codes have been changed!" Eggman announced to his passengers angrily. "This must mean the GUN has been here since our last visit!"

"In case of another mistake, the alarm will be triggered," Tails pointed out, rather worried.

"I can hack the CPU, but it'll take time," Ken informed them.

Then, the fox unbuckled his seat belt, and leaving his co-pilot spot, went over to the back of the ship where he left his tool bag.

"Gimme a sec!" he said to the others. Returning in a flash, he presented to them some sort of a handheld device. "This is one of my inventions, the Universal Decipherer. It should be able to crack the code in no time!"

Tails' enthusiasm was quickly cut short right after Eggman gave him a slap on the hand when he attempted to hook up his little invention to the ship's computer, however.

"Not a chance, _boy!_ " the doctor staunchly rebuked him. "Did you forget that the ARK was built over fifty years ago? There's _no way_ the software of that little trinket of yours is as backward-compatible to be able to communicate with the station's security system! You'll only activate the alarm, and before we know it, we'll have a whole armada of GUN ships chasing us!"

Humiliated by the doctor's remark, the fox made an angry face… Surprisingly, from behind his back, he then heard an unexpected voice of support.

"Hey Egghead!" Sonic spoke to them, no longer pretending to be asleep. "Why dontcha leave Tails alone, huh? You know well he knows what he's doing, unlike you!"

It was at this moment that Shadow spoke for the first time since they left Earth.

"For once, I agree with our reluctant blue _friend_. Let the fox do his job, doctor!"

Eggman, however, remained persistent.

" _I refuse_! This is _my_ ship, and I do _not_ intend to die in it!" he whined pathetically.

The black hedgehog was almost ready to punch the old grouch in the nose to force him to obedience… But then Ken decided to join the argument.

"How about we settle this like men, _Kitsune-san_?" proposed the sergeant, making Tails look his way a bit insecurely. After all, the man still had his sword with him…

However, what Ken actually pulled out was not his katana, but a simple coin.

"Heads or tails?" he asked the boy with a smile, making him breathe with relief.

"Tails, of course!" laughed the fox.

"Fine. So, in that case, heads- _I_ hack the computer, tails- _you_ hack the computer. It everybody okay with that?"

Agreeing to this easy arrangement being fair, everyone nodded. Ken flipped the coin therefore, and showed it to the fox.

"Tails!" the kid announced joyfully, making Eggman grumble in anger…

The young inventor then pulled out his Universal Decipherer again, and connected it to the console. When he clicked a few buttons, the screen of the device began showing rotating lines of numbers… and after no more than a minute, the image on the computer turned from red to green, displaying the words: PASSWORD CONFIRMED.

"Told ya!" Tails cheered, lifting his nose triumphantly as the speechless Eggman observed the ARK's gate opening up before them.

" _Err!_ " growled the doctor. "You got lucky this time. Now, help me set this thing down!"

After the two pilots parked the Magnum Eggtopus safely in the space station's docking bay, Shadow was the first one to exit the ship. Standing on the bottom of the platform, he once again inhaled the stale, cold, metallic air within the colony… He seemed to become more and more bitter with each step.

Tails, however, was happy to be here again.

"The first Bernal spherical space colony ARK!" he gasped in wonderment, once again being able to see this marvel of technology. He then ran up to Shadow, addressing him with a smile. "Isn't it good to be back to where you were born?"

But the black creature did not even look the fox's way. Instead, with a toned-down, overstrung voice, he simply uttered:

"I was not born."

Realizing his mistake, Tails left Shadow to his thoughts… He instead approached Ken, who was busy with 'unloading' Sonic, wishing to make sure that his friend was okay.

"Hey Sonic, thanks for standing by my side!" the fox expressed his gratitude for the unexpected help he received during his argument with Eggman.

"Yeah, whatever…" the hedgehog answered him dismissively, trying to find a more comfortable position to lie down on the bottom of his tight bubble. But Tails had a feeling that his friend was only teasing him.

Ken then addressed the boy, sounding very seriously.

"Tell me something, _Kitsune-san_. This place… it is a special one, isn't it? Especially to _Shadō-sama_."

"Yeah, I guess so," Tails responded, glancing at the black being wondering around the docking hall in a meditative stance.

"What did he mean by saying that he wasn't born here?" wondered the man.

"Well, scientifically speaking, that's actually accurate," explained the fox. "Shadow may have been created aboard the ARK, but he's not like you and me. The _Ultimate Lifeform_ , remember? He doesn't really have parents, strictly speaking. He was created with the use of the DNA of Black Doom, the leader of the Black Arm aliens."

"Yes, I am aware of that," the sergeant responded, also looking toward his companion gloomily. "I read about it in the old GUN reports. This was the reason why the military invaded the ARK and terminated the Project fifty years ago- because they found out that Gerald Robotnik contacted the black aliens, breaking the rules of the agreement he had with GUN. But…"

Ken sent Tails a concerned look, and asked the question which had haunted him for a very long time.

"... doesn't this mean that, by destroying the Black Comet and slaying Black Doom, Shadow had actually… killed the one who was the closest thing to a father he ever had? Along with all of his brethren?"

The fox wondered for a while, and then simply said-

"Yes, I suppose that's right…"

"He must be a very tormented soul."

"I don't know. He seems to be taking it well… at least most of the time."

Tails wasn't too sure about his response now that he saw Shadow standing in front of the main entrance to the ARK. The black hedgehog seemed anxious, burdened with just being here, his demeanor even darker than usual.

Suddenly, as Tails joined their leader along with Ken and Sonic, they all heard a screeching voice behind their backs.

" _Heey_ , wait for me!" yelled Eggman, stumbling out of his ship with a whole bag of tools and other scientific equipment. Tripping, he lost his grip, making all that scatter around the floor of the hangar.

Shadow gazed at him with disdain for a while, redirecting his eyes at the huge door afterwards.

"I hope there's no blasted sentry bots in here this time," he said grimly, and everyone immediately agreed with him.

Eggman then walked over to the door, and pressed a button on the control pad.

Unfortunately, nothing happened.

" _Gah!_ Does _anything_ in this metal coffin work the way it's supposed to?" yelled the scientist, banging the control pad with his fist. "Did the GUN put passwords on every single door in this place?!"

"Chill out, Eggster! Don't tie your stache in a knot!" Sonic laughed at the expression of the doctor's anger. "I'm sure that Tails can figure this one out, too."

Indeed, the fox was already on his way to the troublesome door.

"Allow me," he uttered with confidence, making Eggman step aside. Then, taking off his tool bag, he pulled from inside of it some small box with an LCD screen, and attached it to the door.

"What is that, some kind of an electronic lock pick?" the doctor asked him curiously.

"No," Tails responded after he finished setting the device. "This door isn't locked, it's jammed. And the thing I put on it is not a lock pick, but half a pound of Semtex."

Knowing well that 'Semtex' was the name of a plastic explosive, Eggman looked with terror at the bomb's timer, which showed that they had ten seconds left to detonation…

"I suggest we all move away," the fox said calmly, instantly launching from the ground and flying to the other side of the hangar.

With a loud gasp, noticing that Shadow had also already warped to safety, Ken and Eggman made a run for it, quickly hiding behind the tentacles of the S. S. Magnum Eggtopus.

The only one left standing in front of the door, was Sonic.

"Uh, guys? A little help here…?" the blue hedgehog called them rather desperately, pressing his palms against the back of the force field. But Tails' bomb exploded before anyone was able to do anything.

When Sonic opened his eyes, lifting up from an embryonic position, he saw everyone else standing around his bubble, shaking their heads at him. Protected by the energy barrier, he was completely unharmed.

"Huh. Neat," he smiled awkwardly. "Guess this thing can indeed be useful, sometimes…"

"Nice job, Bomberman," Eggman addressed Tails with a little more appreciation this time. "I mean, Bomber… fox. Oh, never mind…"

Unlike Sonic, the door itself was completely blown up. Standing on top of the metal plate which had been torn out of its hinges, Shadow was able to yet again entered the place of his origin.

He was greeted with the sound of the cold, androgynous voice of the station's main computer, which spoke in an inhuman, monotone way, making unnatural pauses in mid-sentence.

"GOOD MORNING. AND WELCOME. TO THE SPACE. COLONY 'ARK'. ALL AMENITIES. WITHIN THE STATION. ARE PROVIDED. FOR THE SECURITY AND CONVENIENCE. OF THE SPACE COLONY 'ARK'. RESEARCH FACILITY PERSONEL. LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS. FULLY OPERATIONAL. AI INTERFACE. ONLINE. THE TIME IS. EIGHT. FORTY-SEVEN. AM. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS. MINUS. FOUR-HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE. DEGREES. THE 'ARK' COMPOUND. IS MAINTAINED. AT A PLEASANT. SIXTY-EIGHT. DEGREES. AT ALL TIMES. THANK YOU. AND HAVE A VERY SAFE. AND PRODUCTIVE DAY."

By the time the message ended, the rest of the team were already standing by Shadow's side. It didn't seem like the explosion activated the alarm, and no sentry bots were anywhere to be seen. It appeared that they were safe, able to restart the Project which had once been brutally and prematurely terminated.

Turning to his companions, Shadow then began issuing his commands. The first one he addressed was Ken.

" _Mitsui-san_. Take our pesky blue _friend_ and put him somewhere suitable. There are unused computer labs in Sector H. You can try there for now."

The sergeant nodded in confirmation, using the remote he held to make Sonic's bubble follow him in the direction pointed out to him by Shadow.

"Come along, _Sonikku-san_ ," the man said to his prisoner jokingly.

" _Puh!_ You're acting as if I have anything to say about it. _Mitsui-san!_ " the hedgehog retorted, smirking and rubbing his nose in disregard.

When the man and the hedgehog left, Shadow proceeded toward Eggman, pulling the doctor aside.

"From now on, you're gonna be working with Tails," the black creature said sternly, leaving the scientist no room for objection. "Lay _one finger_ on the kid, I'll break your face and make it into an omelet. _Understood_?"

Eggman shook his head, issuing a timid yelp…

"Good," responded Shadow. "You can now proceed to the medical lab. I don't suppose I need to show you the way."

Without a word, taking to his heels, the doctor promptly departed, leaving only the fox and the hedgehog standing alone in the hallway.

Clearly noticing that the powerful creature was not in a very sunny mood, Tails avoided eye contact with him, shrinking from the piercing stare of Shadow's angry eyes… Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, the boy was only able to mutter-

"Y-you know, it's really an honor for me that you picked me to be your helper…"

Instead of answering, the hedgehog took another step his way in order to stand face to face with him, what caused the fox to almost gasp… but when he heard the dark creature's rugged, sharp voice, he became even more concerned.

"Allow me to set you straight about one thing before you start your research, Tails," Shadow spoke frigidly. "You're _not_ my helper. You're _not_ my sidekick!"

The sensitive fox took those words as particularly mean and afflictive... For some time, he thought that he could establish a relationship with the black hedgehog similar to the one he had with Sonic. But now, this seemed completely impossible. When he heard Shadow speak again, Tails cringed.

"Do you even know what you are?" the hedgehog inquired, narrowing his eyes.

In fact, the boy didn't have any ready answer for such a question… Shadow therefore answered for him, and what he said was quite astonishing.

"It figures. Looks like the time you spent tagging along your speedy guardian has deprived you of your own identity!" the dark creature spoke, yet there was more pity in his voice than anger. "In that case, hear me out. What you are, is an _individual_. A person who possesses internal freedom, and doesn't need to stand in anyone's… shadow. Do you understand?"

Realizing that Shadow's intentions were not to rebuke him, but to encourage him, Tails waved his head eagerly.

"I-I think so!" he responded, still a bit stunned.

"I don't need you to think so, I need you to know!" the hedgehog raised his voice a bit, indicating to the youngster that he was being _very_ serious with him. "The duty I'm about to offer to you is one that requires great responsibility. I don't intend to give it to some impotent coward, but to someone who can make decisions, take actions, and actually supervise the progress of the Project without being supervised himself! Now, my question to you is- which one of the two are you? Are you merely gonna be someone's sidekick all your life, or can you actually stand up on your own, Tails?"

For a second there, the young fox stood with his mouth open… But right afterwards, reflecting on what Shadow had just said to him, he straightened, clenched his fists, and assumed a serious, tough expression.

"You're right. I am my own self," the fox stated firmly, looking Shadow in the eyes. "And I will not fail you!"

 _That's more like it_ , the black hedgehog thought to himself. He didn't smile, but expressed his satisfaction with a nod of his head.

"Good," he continued. "I therefore leave the Project in your hands. I don't want to hear Eggman's reports, I want to hear _your_ reports. Keep a close eye on everything he does, at all times. The doctor should under no circumstances be permitted to access any information apart from those concerning the Project. I believe you know well that this facility was once used to develop weapons of mass destruction… And we don't want another Gizoid incident, now do we?"

Tails could easily sense that all of this was of utmost importance to the black hedgehog, especially that mistakes committed in the past had caused him immense personal suffering. The fox promised to Shadow, as well as to himself, that he would not let any such thing happen again.

"I understand," Tails responded in an almost soldier-like manner. "You can count on me."

When Shadow nodded at him again, the boy had a feeling that his ally wished to be left alone now. But before rushing straight to work, Tails had one more question to ask.

"Uh, Shadow?" he spoke hesitantly, seeing that the hedgehog was already on his way to the ARK's central control room. The dark creature halted, however, looking over his shoulder and expecting him to continue.

"I-I know I'm not your sidekick…" the fox mumbled under his breath, "but… I can still be your friend, right?"

He was completely unsure of how Shadow would answer. Did he even have friends? Did he _want to_ have any friends?

Not looking in his direction, right before proceeding on his way, the Ultimate Lifeform responded casually and passionlessly.

"I guess so."

That had to be enough. When Shadow vanished from his sight, Tails quickly started walking toward where he remembered professor Gerald Robotnik's laboratories were. If Project Shadow was indeed to become his responsibility, he figured he better treat his duty even more seriously that if he were working on one of his own inventions. After all, not just the Ultimate Lifeform himself, but also the whole planet below them now depended on the result of his work. And that made things extremely exciting.

The fox failed to locate Eggman in the labs, instead finding him in one of the computer rooms. Tinkering with the mainframe, the doctor was seemingly searching for the old files from his grandfather's Project.

He only acknowledged the child's presence after Tails cleared his throat loudly, however.

"Oh what do _you_ want?" the scientist hissed at him with disregard. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

But the youngster crossed his arms, not intending to let himself be ignored.

"We were supposed to be working together, remember?" he rebuked the nefarious doctor.

Turning in his office chair, forming a pyramid with his fingers, Eggman then showed him a mocking grin.

" _Working together_? With _me_?" he repeated Tails' words, making fun of him. " _Ha!_ You must be joking. Do you even realize what kind of knowledge one needs to possess in order to even _begin_ to understand what Project Shadow truly is? My grandfather was the greatest mind in modern history, and even _he_ had to spend _years_ working together with his team before he was able to achieve any success! And _you_? What do _you_ have, fox boy? A little bit of info about machines and explosives? Technical knowledge will be of no use here. Tell me- have you ever studied medicine? What do you know about virology? Genetics? _Molecular biology?_ "

Even though he hated to admit it, Tails had to confess- he was a bit too young to have an MD degree.

"I've read some books on those topics…" he mumbled, a bit crestfallen.

"Well, that's not nearly enough!" Eggman issued a final triumphant utterance, once again turning toward the computer screen. "You best run along now. You can make yourself useful by locating the pantry. If you manage to find a can of coffee that's not expired after fifty years, I could use an iced Americano. That would _definitely_ help me in my work!"

Clearly, the doctor was just trying to dismiss the fox, and get him out of his way. But after the promise he gave to Shadow, Tails simply could not let that happen. He was an individual, after all, and he needed to stand up for himself!

"Ask me anything," the angered young prodigy demanded sternly, tapping the metal floor of the space station with his sneaker as a form of challenge.

When Eggman turned around, astonished, he could see a flame of determination in the kid's eyes.

"Oh, you want me to test you, huh?" the scientist laughed out loud. " _Hahaha!_ This ought to be a good one! Very well then, _fox boy_. You get three questions. Answer them- and I may let you stick around. Fail to answer even one- and you'll be my butler until my work is done. Deal?"

"Deal!" Tails responded confidently.

"Fantastic," the doctor stretched out comfortably in his chair, bearing a nasty smirk. "Question number one. Hmm, let me think… Oh, here's something. Tell me- what is the main cause of the neuro-immune deficiency syndrome?"

The fox chuckled. It appeared to him that Eggman's science quiz was going to be an easy one.

" _Seriously?_ This is kindergarten-level knowledge!" jeered the young inventor. "The main, and _only_ cause of NIDS is the human neuro-immunodeficiency virus, or HNIV- a lentivirus from the retrovirus subgroup, which infects vital cells in the human immune system such as helper T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells, which in turn leads to the loss of cell-mediated immunity of the nervous system."

The answer was, of course, correct, but even in spite of that, the doctor didn't lose any of his dastardly cheerfulness. That was merely the first thing that came to his mind.

"Good, but you still have two more questions to go! Hmm, let's see…" the doctor rubbed his chin for a while. And then he snapped his fingers. "Ah, here we go! As you know, my cousin Maria, who was Shadow's dear friend, had been suffering from NIDS. But explain to me one thing- how was that possible at such a young age? After all, she was just twelve years old when she died. She was probably infected when she was only a baby! How's that possible, huh?"

This question was clearly meant to embarrass Tails… Of course, he was mature enough to know how the virus was transmitted between _adults_. With children, things were a bit more complicated, but the clever fox knew the answer to that riddle as well.

"Mother's milk," he responded, frowning at how nasty the doctor's methods were. "Her mother must have been infected, too."

Hearing the youngster's response, and realizing that he was right yet again, Eggman stumbled a bit… but soon afterward, he stretched out his hand, eagerly announcing-

"Oh, I know! I know! There's no way you can possibly guess _this_!" he grinned as if he'd already won. "So NIDS is caused by the _human_ neuro-immunodeficiency virus, yet the HNIV antibodies have also been detected in animals. Moreover, even if an animal is _purposely_ infected with HNIV, it will _not_ become sick with NIDS. That applies even to mobians, who share 99% of identical DNA with humans. So how's it possible that the virus _only_ kills humans? Can you answer _that_ , fox boy?"

Tails strained his brains intensively for a while… but eventually, he had to admit that he didn't know why that happened. Yet, not very discouraged by the fact, he simply said:

"No, I can't. Can _you_ , doctor?"

" _What?_ " Eggman gasped, not expecting to be questioned himself. " _I'm_ the one in charge of the quiz!"

"That may be true," the fox continued stubbornly, "but from what I know, _nobody_ has yet been able to determine why NIDS only affects humans. It's a scientific mystery. Unless you have something to tell me?"

The doctor was defeated. Indeed, that had been a trick question.

"No, I don't know that either," he blurted out in dissatisfaction, hanging his head in failure.

"Well, in that case, let's get to work!" Tails encouraged him eagerly, assuming that meant he won the wager. "There's still many mysteries surrounding NIDS. If the answer to this plague can be found anywhere at all, it must be here- within the halls of the ARK!"

* * *

 **AN: Tails and Eggman... an unlikely alliance, right? I believe they work together in an alternate dimension in Sonic Boom… but Sonic Boom isn't canon, so who cares. With their combined IQ being close to 600, they may just have a chance to succeed in finishing what Gerald Robotnik started.  
**

 **I will be using the word 'mobian' deliberately in the story, even though it technically comes from the comics. I just don't want to use the phrase 'anthropomorphic animal' all the time.**


	8. Sonic Leashed

**Chapter 8 – Sonic Leashed**

Sergeant Mitsui put him in and old, unused computer room, which was about as boring as watching grass grow. But that was not the worst thing. What was even more annoying was the fact that he was now shackled to an upright metal plate, with unbreakable energy rings around his ankles, wrists, and chest. Sonic figured out that this restraining table must have initially been built in case the creation of Project Shadow ever went haywire, as it somehow fit his size perfectly. Unfortunately.

The terrible boredom, along with his inability to move, almost drove the agile hedgehog insane. He wished that he could at least get a TV set, or listen to some music. After the silence of the dead space station became unbearable, he began to play songs in his mind, then hum, and eventually, sing them out loud in full voice.

Remembering a song which expressed his present frustration perfectly, he imagined himself being in a band as the singer and lead guitarist, standing before an audience of cheering animals. Knuckles was playing the drums, Shadow was doing rhythm guitar, whereas Tails was on the bass (he initially wanted Tails and Knuckles to switch places, knowing that the fox absolutely _loathed_ playing the bass, but then he remembered that Knuckles couldn't do that himself as he had no fingers on his gloves).

" _Well am I making haste, or could it be haste is making me?_ " Sonic began to sing the first verse with his eyes closed, bobbing his head and getting louder and louder as he went on. " _What's time but a thing to kill, or keep, or buy, or lose, or live in? I gotta go_ _ **faster**_ _! Keep up the_ _ **pace**_ _! Fastest one in the hedgehog_ _ **race**_ _! I could go SUPERSONIC! The problem's chronic! Tell me, does life exist beyond it?! When I need to_ _ **sate**_ _, I just_ _ **accelerate**_ _, into oblivion! Into OBLIVI-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-_ _ **YAAN!**_ _"_

Carried away by the sound of his own voice, raving like a maniac and imagining that he could play air-guitar, Sonic was ready to go into verse two, when he suddenly heard a nearby noise of someone clearing his throat.

" _Gah!_ " the blue hedgehog gasped in embarrassment. By his side, he saw Shadow, who must have slipped into the room while he was singing. Seeing that his rival's face was even more frowny that usual, Sonic chuckled awkwardly.

"Heh-heh, sorry about all the noise, Shady… You know what they say- _sing like no one's listening_!"

Unfazed by the apology he received, the unexpected visitor responded with irritation.

"My _name_ is _Shadow_!" he rebuked Sonic for failing to get that right yet again.

"Yeah, I remember," the blue hedgehog assured him with a grin. "You keep reminding us about that all the time! People don't usually lose their memory as often as you do, you know."

"Oh _really_? I had a different impression."

After Shadow growled at him like that, an uneasy silence followed, during which the black creature continued to eye his prisoner intensively… Sonic couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, what made him drop his smile.

"So… wwwwhat're you gonna do?" he asked, memories from the time he spent in the new Death Egg after being defeated by Infinite now returning to haunt his mind…

Realizing that his rival thought that he was about to harm him somehow, Shadow snorted.

"Hmph. It is really impossible for us to ever work together, isn't it?" he pointed out, considering how much they misunderstood one another.

And then, oddly enough, he presented to Sonic something which the hedgehog recognized to be…

… a chili dog.

It appeared that Shadow hadn't come to torture him after all, but simply to give him some food! Talk about a relief.

"Hey, where'd you get _that_ from?" Sonic inquired, smiling with true delight. "We're in space!"

His own facial expression not changing in the least, the black creature responded-

"Isn't it obvious? Same place we all pull out random, plot-convenient items from even though we don't have bags or pockets."

Sonic then fixed his eyes at the hotdog again. He was feeling _really_ hungry right now… but there was still one more thing that made him hesitate.

"Say, Shadow…" he muttered desperately. "You're not gonna… _feed it_ to me, will you? Cause I don't think I'd enjoy you doing that… and that's _no good_!"

Even the mere _suggestion_ that he would be capable of something similar made the other hedgehog roll his eyes. He then went over to Sonic's side and, pressing a button, deactivated one of the energy rings, freeing his rival's right hand. Afterwards, he gave him the chili dog, which the prisoner instantly grabbed and eagerly bit into.

As the blue hedgehog was eating, he noticed that Shadow was still eyeing his curiously. That was because the dark being had noticed that not only he felt much worse aboard the ARK than anywhere else. When Sonic mumbled something with his mouth full, probably asking his rival about what he was staring at, Shadow asked-

"You're a bit vulnerable without your friends, aren't you? What's the matter? You seemed to have been okay back on Prison Island!"

Swallowing, the prisoner looked him in the eyes irritably.

"There, I could at least walk around the cell!" he grumbled, yet again complaining about his restraints. "I'm _Sonic_ , remember? Fastest thing alive! I've got _the need for speed_! I _gotta go fast_ an' all that jazz. _Can't stick around, have to keep moving on_ , not hang here like some Christmas ornament!"

He'd tap the floor with his foot impatiently if it wasn't hanging loosely above the floor, and he'd wag his finger if he wasn't holding the rest of his chili dog in his only free hand. But Shadow was completely unaffected by his whining.

"Sorry. I can't let you breakdance out of here," he stated sternly. "At least not until Eggman and Tails are done with their work."

Normally, Sonic would've retorted with some witty joke and a cocky smirk. But in his present situation, he was feeling increasingly miserable, what expressed itself in anger.

" _Err!_ Quit pulling my quills, Shadow!" the hedgehog burst out at his captor.

The black creature, however, simply crossed his arms in a gesture of disregard.

"Or what are you gonna do?" he taunted his immobilized rival. "Turn into Dark Sonic? Allow me to remind you- Dark Sonic isn't canon!"

It appeared that the return to the place of his origin made Shadow become a bit more philosophical. Standing before his angered prisoner, he now began to externalize the result of his meditations, especially concerning the two of them, which must have been just as important a reason for his visit as bringing Sonic the food.

"You contradict me because you're scared of me," the black hedgehog uttered in the form of a statement rather than an assumption, what made the blue one grind his teeth even more. Still looking him in the face, Shadow then went on. "You fear becoming like me. This is why you always have to run, don't you? You can't stay stationary, because you're afraid of loss. Of the pain it would bring… Even though it could make you powerful if you learned from it, just like it did to me."

At first, Sonic thought that Shadow was simply making fun of him, and didn't really pay much attention to what he was saying, wishing that he could finally go back to eating his hot dog. But as his rival went on, the blue hedgehog remembered where exactly they were right now- in this forsaken place which had shaped Shadow's psyche forever, mostly through pain and trial. The unspeakable misery of losing his friend- something that Sonic himself indeed greatly feared.

"The truth is a heavy weight to lift, isn't it?" the dark creature continued with his monologue. "You surround yourself with your friends, because you know that you are weak without them. But tell me- why, although you are so immensely popular, haven't you ever found a girlfriend for yourself, huh? That Amy Rose, for example… You always keep her at a distance, and run whenever she crosses the line. Admit it- it's because you're _afraid_! You fear the suffering of loss, and that's why you can never attach yourself to anything. Sorrow, however, can easily be turned into strength… but you don't care about that. Instead, you fear the darkness it could awaken in your heart. If you'd experienced all that I have, maybe it's _you_ whom the world would fear?"

Shadow glared his way as if he awaited the blue hedgehog's response. But Sonic only continued to fix his eyes at him begrudgingly.

"Speechless for the first time, I see?" his rival observed with a lot of satisfaction. "No matter. I don't need you, anyway. You'll stay here until the Project is complete, and then you can go back to playing your senseless games, and running away from the whole world."

Shadow's words were haughty and arrogant. But, in spite of his boasting, the blue hedgehog knew well that he had not fully overcome his inner demons himself. That was clearly visible in his eyes, and the way he acted from the very second Eggman announced to them that they would have to return to the ARK.

Assuming a mysterious grin, Sonic looked at his captor as if he was the one who possessed the advantage over him. When Shadow's brow wrinkled as he noticed that, the prisoner uttered but one word to him.

" _Maria._ "

The muscles in Shadow's face twitched in pain for a second… but then instantly flexed and caused him to assume an expression of great, overwhelming fury.

"Maria _what?!_ " he roared, demanding an explanation.

In response, Sonic spoke to him as if he were rebuking a naughty kid.

"Maria, your closest friend. Would _she_ like it if she saw you holding me prisoner like this, Shadow?"

He was pricking an aching spot, which he thought was an Achilles' heel for his rival. True, the black hedgehog had a tendency for ruthlessness… but that could usually be tamed by reminding him that he always ought to consult his conscience- the quality which his lost friend had once awaken within him.

But Sonic made one mistake, as that remark made Shadow realize that his rival wasn't actually listening to what he was trying to tell him. The black hedgehog had deliberately come here to share some wisdom with the smug juvenile… but Sonic failed to understand that, and instead looked for a way to get ahead of him in what he thought was some sort of a word game. The reliance on his friends was _his_ weakness, however, not Shadow's.

"You _lackwit!_ " the black creature yelled. He came up to Sonic with an expression so terrifying it made the immobilized hedgehog quiver with an awkward chuckle, thinking that he would now receive a severe beating…

But instead of hitting him, Shadow knocked the rest of the chili dog from Sonic's hand with a strong slap, making the food fall to the floor. As the prisoner observed this, devastated, his rival continued to rant.

"That was a cheap move, even for you. Did you really think _this_ would work? Don't you _dare_ mention that name ever again!"

Grabbing Sonic's arm, he then forcefully pressed it against the metal plate. The blue hedgehog struggled with him, yet had to give in when Shadow twisted his wrist. He then pressed the button, activating the energy ring, restraining Sonic again.

Without another word, the offended dark creature turned his back on his prisoner, immediately walking toward the exit.

" _Hey!_ Come back here! You gotta let me shave my arms, or else I'm gonna look like that guy from Sonic Boom in a couple of days!" wailed the Blue Blur, gazing at the splattered chili dog which was now completely out of his reach. Realizing how torturous this sight was going to be for him, he almost screamed in rage.

"Anime was a mistake, ya _weeb_!" he taunted, although the door had already closed behind Shadow's back. But when his fit of anger left him, he hung his head in sorrow. "Aww. I almost wish Amy was here… _Almost_ ".

Not in the right mood to imagine singing at a rock concert anymore, Sonic closed his eyes, deciding to take a nap. He wasn't able to estimate how long he was sleeping, when a sound coming from the adjacent corridor suddenly woke him up.

"Huh? Shadow? Is that you again?" he mumbled drowsily.

But the person who barged into the computer lab after he said those words, was not the black hedgehog this time. It was Tails… but his appearance was so much different that Sonic had to blink his sleepy eyes several times in order to be sure that he wasn't dreaming anymore.

First off, the fox walked with a really angry look on his face, and Tails was definitely not someone who could be easily aroused. He was also wearing a white lab coat for some reason, and the outfit was so large he had to roll up the sleeves, and even with his two tails sticking out from underneath it the smock still almost reached the floor.

But that was not the strangest thing about Tails' appearance. When the youngster stood before the shackled Sonic, his one-time guardian noticed that there were very strange red stains both on his coat and his gloves…

"Well, I see you've been busy," remarked the hedgehog. But when Tails didn't give him any response, speaking more seriously, he demanded- "You will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open."

But that only made the fox exhale deeply, as if he were very tired.

"Sorry, Sonic. Shadow says I'm not allowed to do that," he said plainly.

"So, are you Shadow's sidekick now?" the prisoner responded, smiling mockingly. "Or Eggman's?"

Tails could sense that Sonic was trying to poke fun at his oversized lab smock. And he did _not_ take kindly to that.

"I'm _nobody's_ sidekick!" he growled back.

Such an expression of both anger and independence caught the blue hedgehog totally off guard…

"Alright, alright!" he tried to soothe the youngster's nerves, feeling kind of bitter and awkward for having made him lose his temper. "Sheesh, no need to be so edgy…"

Yet again, Sonic credited such behavior on account of hanging around Shadow too much. The fox, however, seemingly losing interest in speaking to him, grabbed a broom and proceeded to clean up the pieces of chili dog from the floor. As he was about to leave with the dustpan, he noticed how longingly the prisoner gazed at its contents…

"Uh! Don't worry, I'll bring you a fresh one soon," this time, touched by pity toward his friend, Tails spoke much more sympathetically. "I'm cooking another batch of chili right now, but it still needs a few minutes on the burner."

"What?!" gasped the astounded hedgehog. ""So… those stains on your coat… they're not _blood_?!"

Seeing the shock in the hedgehog's eyes, Tails laughed in genuine amusement.

" _Heh-heh!_ Blood? Are you kidding, why in the world would I be covered in blood? No, this is just tomato sauce. I had some trouble opening those fifty-year-old cans from the pantry with nothing but Ken's sword…"

This time, Sonic laughed as well, and he had not done so in a while. It looked like he hadn't lost his little 'brother' after all!

"So _you're_ the one who's making the food?" Sonic inquired, truly impressed.

"Yup," the fox explained to him. "We drew lots, and I got the shortest straw. This is why I'm taking a break from the really important work. But we all gotta eat, I guess… Shadow just made me responsible for bringing you food, which will also take up a lot of my precious time, so you better appreciate that!"

"Oh, I do," the hedgehog chuckled, "as long as I won't find any fox hairs in my chili dogs, that is."

Tails laughed yet another time, turning toward the door afterwards.

"I'll do my best. Hang in there, Sonic! I should be back in an hour or so."

The youngster left him alone again, and the blue hedgehog laughed under his voice, thinking of the irony of being told to 'hang in there'. Shackled to the metal table, he could already feel his joints ache… and his stomach rumble.

He only wished that the hour could pass as fast as possible. But after what seemed as mere minutes after Tails' departure, he could hear footsteps again- this time coming from a hallway at the other side of the room.

Looking that way curiously, Sonic strained his ears… only to witness the rather unpleasant image of Eggman, also dressed up in an old ARK lab coat, entering the chamber with a nasty wide grin on his face.

" _Greeeat_ …" groaned the hedgehog, rolling his eyes in disappointment. "Of the long pageant of visitors who come to keep me company, I also have to put up with _you_?"

The doctor, however, not paying attention to Sonic's grumbling, stood right before his face. Which was _way_ too close for comfort.

"Well hello, my furry mutant friend!" Eggman greeted him with a bit too much joyfulness for the hedgehog's liking. "You're looking blue."

„Yeah. I'm blue. _Uh_ … da ba dee da ba daa?" Sonic answered jokingly, yet without much conviction, as the look in his arch-enemy's eyes made him feel extremely awkward…

Eggman then continued.

"Ah, doesn't this space colony bring back delightful memories? Remember? I once almost disposed of you in this very place, Sonic. And look at yourself now! Shackled like Prometheus! I always wanted to have you as a test subject, you know. Then I would be able to discover the secret of your unusual speed. Maybe I should do like the vultures did to Prometheus, and have a look inside you?"

"Uhm, heh-heh… Sorry, but I think I'd prefer that my internal organs _remain_ internal…" the immobilized hedgehog flinched, noticing to his horror that the doctor indeed looked like he was about to touch him. "Uh, Tails? _Tails?!_ Can you hear me?!"

Eggman did not lay a finger on his helpless foe, however. Instead, he became interested in the panel which controlled the table he was chained to.

"Ooh, what does _this_ button do?" the mad scientist began tinkering with the panel, having far too much fun.

Suddenly, Sonic felt that the energy ring around his chest started to tighten…

" _Egghead!_ You're… gonna… make me… lose… my… _rings!_ " the desperate hedgehog moaned, becoming quieter and quieter with each word as his compressed ribcage squeezed at his lungs, making him suffocate…

His life began to flash before his eyes and he almost prepared himself to cross over to the great Green Hill Zone in the sky when, all of a sudden, a gust of wind flew through the room.

"AAAAH!" yelled the astonished Eggman right after the white-clad fox, who wasn't making chili after all, flew over his head and gave him a strong kick with his sneaker straight in the bald spot.

"Never fear! Tails is present!" he announced bravely, landing on the floor, making the furious doctor stand away from Sonic's table. The fox then quickly readjusted the chest ring, enabling his friend to breathe freely again, and afterwards turned to face Eggman.

"Shadow was right about you!" he raged at the villain for trying to harm a hedgehog who couldn't even defend himself.

But the nefarious scientist just continued to jeer.

"Hahaha! Oh look, our little mechanic standing up for the grown-ups. That's sooo adorable!"

"I'm not adorable!" Tails ground his fangs, genuinely triggered. "I am _serious_ and _formidable_!"

"Is that so? Well, how do you like _this_?" the Eggman asked him, unaffected by the child's rebukes.

He then pulled out a small laser pistol, and pointed it at the fox.

"W-where'd you get that from?" the youngster inquired, losing some of his confidence.

"Oh, you know. I found it!" the doctor continued to laugh dastardly.

Sonic, who by now managed to regain his breath, rolled his eyes at him.

"I find that answer vague and unconvincing…" sneered the hedgehog.

"Oh yeah? Well, do you know what are the chances of me using this against you?" Eggman said, charging the weapon. "They're high. They're _very_ high!"

Letting out a groan of fright, Sonic and Tails closed their eyes…

… and then they heard a gunshot.

Someone screamed, but it was neither of them. Astonished, the two friends looked at what had happened, and witnessed two things-

Firstly, Eggman was rubbing his aching hand with a displeased expression, while his laser pistol lay on the floor, shattered.

Secondly, Shadow, who had just teleported inside the room, was aiming his own gun at the doctor, fire burning in his eyes. He must have shot the villain's weapon straight out of his hand just at the right moment.

"Freeze, old man!" the black creature then uttered warningly to the one he was still aiming at.

Gazing at him in fury, the nefarious scientist clenched his fists.

"Old man? _Old man?!_ I'm younger than you are, Shadow!"

"Puh! Doesn't look that way," the hedgehog responded with a disdainful snort.

He then went over to face Eggman, making him flinch and back up against the wall.

"Nobody beats Sonic… but me!" Shadow screamed at him. "I will not let _anyone_ interfere with this project!"

Next, he turned toward the fox.

"Tails!" the hedgehog called his name, astounding the youngster as he presented his gun to him. "Escort the good doctor back to the research lab, and this time, make sure he stays there!"

Taking the huge pistol, which was bigger than his head, from Shadow's hands, Tails gasped in amazement.

"Wow, a modified Desert Falcon, .60 caliber! The most powerful handgun in the world! It can blow your head clean off!" Brandishing the weapon carefully, the fox aimed it at Eggman, causing the terrified villain hands to immediately spring up in the air. "I suggest you don't make any sudden moves, doctor. Remember I've already beaten you once, all by myself!"

" _Puh_! Serious and formidable…" the conquered scientist sneered, though he had lost all of his cheerfulness. As Tails escorted him back to work at gunpoint, he could still be heard whispering- "Well, at least I didn't get roundhouse-kicked in the head…"

Left alone in the room, Sonic and Shadow exchanged looks. The black one remained rigid, though the blue one smiled.

"Hey, looks like being a part of your team is really making Tails become tougher!" he pointed out. But when his rival continued to stare at him in that gruesome manner which was so typical to him, Sonic stammered for a while, and then said- "Err, thanks for helpin' us out…"

"You're _welcome_ ," Shadow answered rather coldly before even giving the blue hedgehog a chance to finish his sentence. "But if you want to express your gratitude, I suggest you stay out of trouble next time!"

"Hey, _I_ didn't do anything!" Sonic grumbled. "It's _you_ who should be watching Eggman more closely! I can't even scratch my own nose!"

The dark creature, however, sent him another piercing look, snorted, and teleported away to destinations unknown.

" _Heeey!_ Come back!" the Blue Blur cried after him. "I _really_ need to scratch my nose! A-and I still gotta shave my arms, too!"

But in spite of his arguing, yet again, he was left alone in his shackles.

* * *

 **AN: Happy May the 4th, Star Wars fans! I wonder if you can find a few references in this chapter. May the fourth be with you! (I'm, of course, talking about your chaos emerald, Shadow!) XD  
**

 **Lemme just tell you that the song Sonic is singing is a _slightly changed_ version of 'Supersonic' by Bad Religion. It's too bad that this piece of music was never actually written for a Sonic game, as it would have given us some really interesting insight about the psychology of the main character. Even Shadow himself attempts a short psychoanalysis, though the Blue Blur refuses to take any of it seriously, as always. Wonder if you think that Shadow's assumptions about his rival are correct, though.**

 **So the team has settled within the ARK. The question is- will they finally be able to complete Project Shadow, or will they kill each other off?**

 **Stay tuned ;)**


	9. Black Hearted

**Chapter 12 – Black Hearted**

The holographic screen of the ARK's mainframe computer displayed the emblem of Project Shadow.

For days now, Tails and Eggman have been sifting through the vast databases created five decades earlier by professor Gerald Robotnik, in search of any information which could help them in the development of the universal cure. But as they researched the log, learning about the long process of medical and bioengineering experimentation conducted within the station's laboratories, they encountered a huge gap among the regular entries. Namely, the database contained only those files which spoke of the Project's development up to the moment when the prototype of the ultimate lifeform, the Biolizard, was put away due to the creature's unruly and primitive nature. All the entries considering Shadow himself, were missing.

This only proved the theory that GUN had actually visited the ARK after its sealing, and that the government was trying to remove from it whatever could still be harmful to the people of Earth. Eggman himself only had bits and pieces of that data, so Tails came to a conclusion that he better try to recover as much of it as possible. In order to do that, he utilized his computer skills to the fullest, to the degree that the doctor himself had to create a small service robot to run errands around the station for the duo of scientists as they spent all the time they had working assiduously in the computer lab.

Tails could operate like a machine when he sat in front of the keyboard, but after a couple of days of unsuccessful hacking, even he became exhausted. Standing by his side, fawning his long mustache, Eggman gazed at the fox's blood-shot eyes, pondering. It was late at night, and he figured that if they didn't make any progress soon, a change of tactics might be inevitable.

"Any success?" asked the doctor, seeing that Tails had just finished re-scanning the hard drives with the data recovery software he had written especially for that purpose.

Before answering him, the fox checked the result of the scan yet again… and groaned in disappointment.

" _Err!_ Still nothing," he spoke in a tired, raspy voice. "We've got 672 daily reports from before the gap, and I've only been able to retrieve 24 later entries! The latest one is dated as coming from 'day 1780', and that was even before Shadow was awakened for the first time! This means that all we possess amounts to anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of the whole database… And those files that are missing, which the government must have completely eradicated, are the ones we need the most!"

It was obvious that the child genius was becoming exasperated. After all, computers were his passion, and during his cooperation with Eggman both of them participated in a silent competition, attempting to impress one another with their skills. Now, however, it seemed that Tails was losing his favorite game. And the sight of the doctor laughing didn't help his in the least.

But why was Eggman laughing, anyway? Didn't he want to finish his grandfather's work, too? The tired fox sent him a curious look, what caused him to put his hands on his round hips.

"You worry too much," the nefarious scientist announced with an odd cheerfulness, though this time, Tails had a feeling that the doctor was actually not making fun of him.

"What do you have in mind?" inquired the young researcher.

Once again, Eggman exhibited an ear to ear grin.

"We may not have any files about Shadow, but we do have Shadow himself, don't we? It's _he,_ the Ultimate Lifeform, who will make our names remembered throughout all of history! I told you already- computer skills will be of little use in this Project."

Leaving Tails stupefied in his office chair, the doctor then turned around to leave, saying-

"Tell everyone to gather in the medical lab."

Although the fox still considered the fact that Eggman thought more about his personal fame than the wellbeing of mankind suspicious, he decided to listen to his request. Activating his wrist communicator, he called Shadow and Ken, telling them that the doctor apparently had something to show to all of them.

Wrapping up his work for the night, Tails eventually made his way to the ARK's medical research center, dragging his feet along and sweeping the floor of the space station with the back of his oversized lab coat. When the automated door opened before him, he saw that the rest of his companions (apart from Sonic, who still wasn't allowed to move around) were already there.

Dressed in his white smock, still grinning mysteriously, Eggman was tinkering with the small utility bot he'd hastily put together using old parts, most of which came from an old toaster (thus dubbing his creation 'ToastBot').

Shadow and Ken were way more sullen, however. Both of them had been eagerly waiting for news of progress concerning the Project, and had expressed their impatience to the two researchers on several different occasions. Furthermore, it didn't quite look like Shadow enjoyed to be where they were now, among all the old medical equipment… Standing next to the empty tank from whence he'd emerged to life over fifty years ago, he stared at the fox with a somber demeanor.

"Well?" sergeant Mitsui was the one who spoke first when the four of them finally faced each other. "We're waiting."

To his great dismay, Tails noticed that everyone else was fixing their eyes at him, as if Eggman had told Shadow and Ken that the fox would be the one to deliver the important announcement. When, actually, the truth was completely opposite!

Stammering, the embarrassed youngster rubbed his aching eyes… Was the doctor, who should be working together with him as a partner, only trying to make him humiliate himself?

"B-but… I haven't found anything in the databases!" Tails yelped, fearing what the reaction of the others would be upon hearing such 'wonderful' news. "The hard drives in the mainframe… most of them have been formatted clean! The files that were once on them are lost, and I haven't been able to figure out a way to recover them…"

Under Ken and Shadow's angry glares, the fox hung his head in sorrow. Seeing how apologetic the young scientist was, they then turned toward his elder.

"You said that you've achieved some sort of _progress!_ " the black hedgehog uttered threateningly to Eggman.

In spite of all that, the doctor himself still laughed like the maniac he was.

"My dear Shadow! But this _is_ progress!" he announced with joy, patting the top of ToastBot's head.

Noticing that his interlocutors were not sure what he meant by that, the scientist quickly began to explain.

"During the time my furry colleague and I spent studying the incomplete files of my grandfather's greatest project, I was thinking. When we found out that GUN had erased most of the data, at first I was ticked off as well, but then I received a certain revelation. Why would we need those files at all, if my grandfather had never actually been able to synthesize this cure we're looking for? That kind of information was never there to begin with! The answer is in a totally different place, and not where we'd been looking for until now. That nigh-miraculous cure does not lie in mere words!"

Hearing how mysterious Eggman's words were, Shadow narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" he inquired impatiently. "Where is it, then?"

The evil scientist bared his teeth, and pointed at the dark creature standing before him.

"It is in your heart, Shadow!" he announced. "In your very blood!"

The hedgehog stood in silence for a while, wondering. Yes, that made sense- professor Gerald was only able to create the Ultimate Lifeform after Black Doom gave him a sample of his blood- the blood which now flowed through Shadow's veins.

Looking toward Eggman again, he then said to him passionlessly-

"If you need to conduct any medical procedures… it better not take too long!"

"Excellent!" the overjoyed scientist clapped his hands. "Why don't you take a seat over here?"

Not too happy about such a turn of events, yet surprisingly compliant, Shadow sat on top of a medical couch. He was soon surrounded by Ken and Tails, who curiously awaited to see what exactly Eggman had in mind. The doctor then addressed his small service robot.

"ToastBot! Bring me a 500 milliliter beaker, a syringe, and a few 21-gauge hypodermic needles!"

With a docile bow, the small robot drove off toward the supply cabinet. Tails then noticed the doctor bending over to whisper in his ear.

"The real question is- can the Ultimate Lifeform bleed?" Eggman asked so that the others wouldn't hear him.

"Well, I've never _seen_ him bleed…" the fox admitted, also whispering. "But why wouldn't he? I mean, he's tough and all, but he's still a being of flesh and blood. Right?"

"Oh yes, yes! Naturally!" the doctor responded to that question with a rather awkward chuckle. "I mean, what else could he be? An _android?_ No, that's out of the question! Heh-heh… I'm almost positive that this here is the real Shadow, not one of my old robotic clones… 80% sure. No, _90%_!"

Not exactly satisfied with such a statement, Tails gave him a curious look… Fortunately for Eggman, ToastBot was already back with a tray upon which lay the items the doctor had requested.

"Ah, here we go!" grinned the scientist, attaching a fresh needle to the syringe. He then went up to Shadow and touched his arm… _very_ carefully.

"Erm, this won't hurt much… so please, don't react by tearing my head off, will you?" Eggman said to the hedgehog, visibly nervous. His patient himself remained completely still, however.

First, the doctor split the fur on Shadow's forearm, looking for a vein. Then, with shaking hands, he put the needle against the skin, and…

"Huh?" frowned the doctor, seeing that nothing happened after he attempted to puncture the vein. Exasperated, he pressed a little harder. And then again.

Finally, he lifted the needle, which was now bent in the middle, in front of his eyes.

"Well, this is something I haven't predicted…" Eggman expressed his puzzlement.

"Ha-ha! That's right!" laughed Tails, happy that this time he wasn't the one who goofed. "I remember seeing Shadow reflect bullets like they were popcorn!"

In the meantime, the black hedgehog himself was becoming increasingly tired of this procedure. Fixing his eyes at the crestfallen doctor, he angrily uttered-

"Do you always have to be so useless? Are all your academic titles good for nothing?!"

Afterwards, Shadow turned toward Ken, who was standing by the side of his couch.

"Sergeant Mitsui, would you mind if I used your sword?"

Now that was something unexpected… Looking even more perplexed than Eggman, the old soldier stood speechless for a while. But then, considering that Shadow knew exactly what he was doing, he unsheathed his katana and handed it to the hedgehog.

The two scientists looked at one another, quite astounded…

"Err, Shadow… you may want to watch out with that thing!" his creator's grandson warned him. "This blade looks like it could sever your arm!"

The dark creature, however, wasn't bothered with similar worries.

"The sword may be able to sever _your_ arm, or even your head, doctor," he responded rigidly, "but it'll take a bit more than that to cut through _my_ skin."

With everyone observing him in awe, Shadow grabbed the glass dish brought by ToastBot in one hand, holding the katana in the other. Suddenly, waves of light similar to electric discharges began dancing over the surface of the steel.

"He's empowering the sword with chaos energy!" Tails pointed out to the others, himself deeply astonished.

Shadow then put the edge of the blade against the skin on his forearm and, without the slightest twitch of pain appearing on his face, made a deep incision.

A wave of pitch-black, thick liquid rapidly gushed from the wound, flowing down to the hedgehog's elbow. Holding the beaker underneath, Shadow carefully collected every single drop of it.

"Is that… _hydraulic fluid_?!" Tails gasped in shock at the strange substance's color, dreading that the hedgehog may have indeed been an android. But Eggman dispelled his doubts for him.

"No. That _is_ his blood!" the doctor was no less shocked. "Shadow! It appears you've punctured your median cubital vein! Here, let me give you a tourniquet before…"

" _Stay away!_ " the hedgehog sternly refused to receive any aid. For a few moments, it did seem like he was about to bleed himself to death, but before the dish was completely full, the flow of blood ceased. A few seconds later, the incision closed up by itself, not even leaving a scar.

"Did he… _regenerate_?!" the completely mesmerized Tails asked, opening his eyes wide.

"Ah yes, I completely forgot you could do that, Shadow!" Eggman said, taking the beaker with the hedgehog's blood sample from him.

Shadow then gave Ken his sword back, thanking him with a nod. After shaking the last black drop from the katana, the sergeant placed it back in the sheathe on his back, bowing in response.

Throughout the whole procedure, Shadow remained completely collected and bereft of all emotion.

"Well, it appears you're not as heartless as some people say you are!" Tails pointed out to him jokingly, happy to see that the hedgehog was okay. "I mean, if you can donate a blood sample, that means you have to have a heart! Even if it's a black one…"

When Shadow looked at him after he said those words, however, the fox bit his lip. The dark creature then jumped off from the medical couch, and addressed all those gathered around him.

"My creator, professor Gerald, had told me that it's the blood of the Black Arms that flows through my veins- a race gifted with extreme longevity, the ability to survive in radically hazardous environments, and the power of Chaos Control. Now, I am the last representative of that species."

"But, wait a minute," being as inquisitive a mind as he was, Tails wrinkled his brow. "Wasn't the blood of the Black Arms green?"

"Yes, that is true…" confirmed sergeant Mitsui, who had himself killed many of those alien creatures during the war.

Eggman then offered them another chuckle, lifting up the glass dish containing the black substance solemnly.

"Ah, yes! The Black Arms!" he said, grinning. "After the prototype turned out to be unsatisfactory, my grandfather began to fear that creating the Ultimate Lifeform was impossible. But then he had an inspired idea- to turn to an alien civilization, known for its remarkable endurance and long life! Indeed, the aliens' blood is green, as it does not contain iron-based hemoglobin, like with humans or mobians, but hemocyanin, which is based on copper. Yet, we must remember that Shadow is not exactly a full-blooded Black Arms, either. What he is, is a hybrid! The mix of red hedgehog blood with the green one of an alien might be the reason why his blood has such a dark color… but in order to know that for sure, we will need to put this sample under a microscope! Ooh, I simply can't wait!"

It became obvious that Eggman was experiencing the highest possible level of thrill for a scientist, having in his hands something as unique as the blood of the Ultimate Lifeform. Shadow and Ken noticed that Tails was also looking very excited, in spite of having been completely exhausted just a few minutes ago.

"ToastBot!" the doctor called his servant. "Bring me my electron microscope!"

The robot did not possess the ability to speak, but when its master issued his order, it displayed the word 'ERROR' on a small LCD screen installed in its toaster head. That made the doctor angry.

"Err! You piece of trash!" growled the Eggman. "What do you mean by 'error'?!"

The words 'REQUESTED OBJECT UNOBTAINABLE' then appeared on the screen. Suddenly remembering something, the scientist frowned in embarrassment.

"Oh. It appears that I forgot to bring my electron microscope from Caviar Cavern…" he mumbled, making Ken and Shadow roll their eyes.

They all thought that now somebody would have to travel back to Earth only to bring the doctor's equipment back. But, fortunately, Tails showed them that this would not be necessary after all.

"Wait a minute!" exclaimed the fox. "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back. I just need to get something from my tool bag!"

With his two tails swinging, the youngster took off out of the room, leaving the others behind, wondering. But when he returned but a few moments later, he was carrying something that looked like a regular, miniature microscope.

"Hmph! What do you expect me to do with _that_?" Eggman sneered at Tails' little present.

Unfazed by that, the fox set the microscope on a table, and said-

"You may want to keep yourself from judging by appearance, doctor, as any good scientist would. I knew that some medical equipment may come in handy, so I brought my invention along with me. I present to you the _quark microscope_."

"The _what_?" asked the unimpressed Eggman, still looking at the small device without much conviction.

"The quark microscope!" Tails explained, grabbing the blood sample from his hands. "If an electron microscope allows you to see viruses, the quark microscope will let you count a virus' nose hairs! Come, see for yourself!"

Working with a lot of skill, the fox quickly prepared a specimen from Shadow's blood and, placing the glass slide under his device's lens, invited Eggman to take a look.

Skeptical at first, the doctor then went up to the microscope and, looking through the eyepiece, remained silent for a long while. Finally, Shadow himself encouraged him to reveal to everyone if Tails' invention really worked the way it should.

"So?" the black hedgehog asked impatiently.

Eggman then turned around to face them, bearing a demeanor of complete astonishment.

"Gentlemen… I believe this is the most baffling material I have ever examined throughout my career as a scientist!" the doctor announced to them seriously. "The cellular content in the plasma is way more diverse and dense than in any human or mobian! Erythrocytes are present, yet they are definitely not based on iron… Most likely copper, judging from their emerald color. The leukocyte count is _way_ above average, yet all of them are completely achromatic, for some reason! Thrombocytes, on the other hand, seem to be totally absent… There are, however, other small cells, the likes of which I have not observed in any species of terrestrial vertebrates!"

The old, seasoned scientist was truly impressed by what he was witnessing. Unfortunately, his technical jargon was of little use to Shadow himself.

"But what does all of this mean?!" he inquired with a red spark in his eyes, unsure if Eggman's observations brought them any closer to finding a cure.

This time, Tails took the floor, attempting to translate the doctor's message to make it more understandable.

"It means that your red blood cells are green, whereas your white blood cells are black… the reasons for which we don't understand. Or at least not yet. We're gonna have to spend a little more time in the med lab before we figure out what secrets are hiding in your blood, Shadow."

Although he was not happy about the fact that the cure could not be invented on the spot, the dark creature nodded, and Ken soon did the same. Eggman himself, however, did not seem to be able to stop gazing at the sample under the quark microscope, admiring it as if it were the pinnacle of scientific research.

"The genetic structure within the nuclei of Shadow's black leukocytes is like a trip into another dimension!" he continued to gasp in glee. "It's like our DNA is 8-bit, whereas his is advanced, photorealistic CGI!"

* * *

 **AN: Well, I guess this was inevitable. As much as he hates it, Shadow has to return to the same medical facility where he was created, and become a test subject. The problem is not just that his skin, much like his will, is almost impenetrable (as we can see in his game). Shadow's DNA is also that of an extraterrestrial being. The question is- will Eggman and Tails be able to decipher its mysteries? What secrets about the Ultimate Lifeform lie within his black heart?**

 **Stay tuned and find out!**


	10. Anomalous Materials

**AN:Yee-haw, chapter 10's finally up! ;)  
**

 **Sorry for the delay. To finish this chapter, I had to do some research of my own. Today we will follow Eggman and Tails in discovering the science of Project Shadow. I will also try to answer a few important questions like- _why is the Ultimate Lifeform a hedgehog_? _Is Shadow more powerful than Sonic_? And- _who were Shadow's 'parents'_? **

**Have you ever been wondering about that? I know I have. Thus-  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 10 – Anomalous Materials**

In an attempt to understand the physiology of the Ultimate Lifeform better, Eggman requested that Shadow allow him to run a few more tests. Knowing that this cumbersome procedure was crucial to the success of the Project, the hedgehog reluctantly complied.

The final examination was a CT scan, which the doctor conducted together with Tails with the use of the equipment from the ARK's medical facilities. When the process was complete, visibly eager to finally be allowed to leave, Shadow exited the tomograph and approached the two scientists, who were gazing at the screen of the computer to which the machine was hooked up.

"As you can see," Eggman spoke to the young fox, who was tinkering with the results of the scan, with professional zeal, "if you compare Shadow's present tomography with that from fifty years ago, you will undoubtedly notice that they are completely identical! As all of his cells are fully renewable, and therefore immune to DNA oxidation, it is evident that he has not aged by a single day. Or, at least not physically."

Tails continued to fix his eyes at the detailed pictures of the inside of Shadow's body in awe, but when Eggman himself noticed the dark creature standing by their side frowning in impatience, he addressed him in an apologetic manner.

"Ah, Shadow. Sorry to hold you here for so long. Tails and I were just admiring what a medical masterpiece you are! You know, when I finally managed to find you after you plummeted to the earth after destroying the Biolizard, your outer shell was badly damaged. And still, only a short period of treatment was enough for all the tissue to fully regenerate!"

The doctor was trying to flatter him, but Shadow knew that he was only really praising himself for being his creator's grandson. Plus, the black hedgehog did not care for flattery.

"Spare me the unnecessary babble, doctor. I know what my capabilities are better than you do," he snapped.

Then, addressing both Eggman and Tails, he lifted up a finger in a threatening gesture.

"If _anyone_ ever tries to clone me with the use of my DNA, or create another android duplicate in my image, I will personally _kill_ that person. Do I make myself clear?"

Both the scientists immediately nodded, though the elder one of them seemed a bit more shaken by that warning than the younger... Satisfied with what impact his words had on the hearers, Shadow then asked-

"Is that all?"

"Uhm, y-yes…" Eggman responded awkwardly. "At least for now. Thank you for your cooperation!"

Without another word, crossing his arms on his chest, the dark creature warped out of the lab in a bright flash. The nefarious scientist breathed with relief, but then sarcastically remarked-

"You've got to admire his self-restraint, you know. He can blow things up by simply snapping his fingers, and yet he doesn't do it!"

But Tails wasn't listening to him, noticing what made Eggman raise a brow. Having dedicated himself to their research, utilizing his intellectual potential to the fullest, the child prodigy could now hardly ever be distracted from his work. His colleague saw that Tails was still closely examining the scans, thoroughly astounded.

"Wow. Shadow's cellular structure is so dense… No wonder his skin can reflect bullets! His bones must be as tough as steel!" remarked the fox.

Seeing how impressed Tails was with his grandfather's creation, Eggman grinned with delight. He always took that kind of comments as personal praise, since he was doing his best to follow in professor Gerald's footprints.

"Why of course!" he responded as if it were obvious. "Shadow was designed to be virtually invincible! He's the toughest, strongest, and fastest living creature in the entire universe!"

The doctor's proud boasting seemed a little exaggerated to Tails himself, though. Turning away from the computer screen for a change, he addressed Eggman in order to correct his obvious mistake.

"Wait a minute. I'm not trying to say that Shadow isn't strong, or anything like that. But the _fastest_? No way, that would be Sonic! _Everyone_ knows that!"

Eggman grumbled, unhappy about not being agreed with.

" _What?_ After all this time, you still side with that little pin cushion?!"

" _Sonic_ is my friend!" Tails skipped off his office chair and looked up at the doctor smugly in order to add some extra emphasis to his words. But his interlocutor just kept laughing.

" _Hahaha!_ Well, your petty _friendship_ has caused you to lose touch with the facts, apparently," he inflamed the argument even more. "Haven't you ever seen those two hedgehog in a race? Shadow can keep up with Sonic easily, _and_ outrun him!"

True, Tails did remember the black creature keeping up with the Blue Blur, but he wasn't so sure about the outrunning part. Shadow was able to move around faster than Sonic mostly because he used teleportation, but that didn't count. Plus, there was also something else.

"No, it's _you_ who need to get your facts straight, doctor!" the fox retorted stubbornly. "Sonic is naturally capable of breaking the sound barrier any time he wants, or even run faster than the speed of light! But Shadow can run that fast only because he's wearing his air shoes! Gliding may diminish the ground friction, but it is not a skill he possesses _naturally_. I'd like to see him challenge Sonic in a race without that high-tech footwear!"

"Heh-heh!" hearing the fox's arguments, Eggman mocked him even more. "Faster than _light speed_ , huh? I wonder when was the last time you saw your blue friend do _that_ …"

The sight of the doctor putting his hands on his hips in disregard made Tails stamp the metal floor with his foot.

"Err! Sonic _can_ run at the speed of light! I've seen it with my own eyes! He doesn't do that all the time because he doesn't want to do too much damage to the environment by crossing the sound barrier so rapidly and bending time-space. I highly doubt that Shadow is able to match _that_!"

His rival began to rub his chin with his gloved hand.

"Hmm, perhaps. But it's curious how you've mentioned Shadow's air shoes as being just an artificial speed booster. Well, have you ever empirically experienced Sonic moving at the speed of light without the use of the _light speed shoes_?"

Eggman had a point there, and he was truly thrilled with the sight of how awkward that realization made Tails feel.

"Uhm…" the young scientist stammered for a while, crestfallen. "N-no. But… I'm positive he'd be able to, if he tried!"

"Hmph! _Of course_ he would…" the doctor uttered sarcastically. "But why are we arguing about this, anyway? Who cares about what the ground speed velocity of an unladen hedgehog is? _Power_ is the thing that really counts, and I am more than sure that the Ultimate Lifeform has way more of it than that hyperactive blue pineapple!"

"I've _also_ seen Sonic defeat Shadow in fighting, as well!" Tails quickly protested.

"So what? _I've_ seen _Shadow_ defeat _Sonic_! Isn't that how he ended up trapped in an energy bubble?" Eggman responded. "They're both alive, so no one has claimed a final victory as of yet. And my point is, if there ever _was_ a fight to the death between the two of them, Shadow would have undoubtedly won. Allow me to show you the proof!"

With Tails gazing at him suspiciously, Eggman walked up to the computer console. Sifting through the black hedgehog's tomographs, he opened one which revealed the inside of Shadow's chest- his lungs, his black heart… and also something else.

"Holy cow…" the young fox gasped in astonishment, witnessing a sight which would have been a total shock to anyone with even the slightest knowledge of anatomy. "What in the world is _that_?"

Chuckling with delight, Eggman enhanced the image of something which appeared to be an extra organ, similar to the heart but positioned on the opposite side, with tubes and arteries connecting it to Shadow's bloodstream.

"Does this have something to do with Shadow's Black Arms DNA?" Tails took a wild guess, not sure what to make of this bizarre alien _thing_ which was part of the body of someone he'd known for quite a while…

"Close, but no cigar!" the doctor spoke proudly. "This, my little furry friend, is one of my grandfather's greatest creations! As you know, he had once experimented with transferring chaos energy into living tissue. As a result of that research, the chaos drives were created, but not only that. This artificial organ is a bio-cybernetic device which is used to store and utilize chaos energy. It's called an _eternal engine_. An early version was given to the Biolizard, but Shadow himself has the perfected one!"

Genuinely impressed, and eager to know more, the fox said-

"So that's how the Biolizard and Shadow could induce Chaos Control so easily!"

"Partially, yes," Eggman continued his lecture. "Sonic has merely learned to use Chaos Control, while Shadow has it in his very blood! The Black Arms were a race which was naturally linked with the universe's chaos energy. Shadow's blood, plus the eternal engine in his ribcage, are exactly why he doesn't need any gems to use it as he wills. Furthermore, he was designed especially to be a _perfect chaos transmitter_. This means that Shadow's not like the chao-s, which can be either good, neutral, or bad. He has the power of _both_ dark and light chaos energy fully open to his disposal! His limiters allow him to control this immense power and reload it quickly, but if he removes them, he can generate an amount of energy which could destroy virtually _anything!_ Until, eventually, even his own flesh would be annihilated by it…"

After saying that, Eggman suddenly dropped his maniacal smile and began to look around.

"Uh… he's not listening… is he?" the doctor stammered, checking if Shadow hadn't just warped behind his back for some reason.

"No, I don't think he is," Tails calmed him down.

Regaining his confidence, Eggman then concluded-

"Anyway, my point is- put Sonic against Shadow without the rings on his wrists and ankles, and your blue pal will become pure sausage filler in the blink of an eye! Whether our black edgelord has the Chaos Emeralds, or not. I would, however, like to examine Sonic himself someday, as well. The secret of his unusual speed always made me curious…"

"I seriously doubt he would let you do that," the fox warned the doctor before he got any more funny ideas. "He's kind of scared of needles. If you ever came to him with a syringe, you minght witness him run faster than light even without his speed shoes."

"Hmph. A hedgehog, afraid of needles…" the doctor sneered under his voice. Then, convinced of having won the argument, he proposed- "Let's just get back to work, shall we?"

Talking science may have been good exercise for the brain, but Tails realized that the doctor was actually right. They had the results of Shadow's tests, but now their duty was to use them in a new phase of medical research.

When Eggman positioned himself in front of the quark microscope in order to work on the blood sample, the fox went over to a computer console, wishing to check if his data recovery software has been able to retrieve anything new from the ARK's formatted hard drive.

Suddenly, Tails heard the sound of his colleague issuing an astounded gasp.

"Oh my! Examining Shadow's blood is truly _fascinating_!" the doctor admired. "His erythrocytes… they do not contain hemoglobin alone, but also a whole collection of other types of metalloproteins- hemocyanin, myoglobin, chlorocruorin… I haven't been able to estimate the cause for that yet, but I'm sure it has something to do with his regeneration. Plus, such a variety of oxygen-binding cells must provide him with the ability to survive without air for an indefinite period of time! Ah, and that leucocyte count of his!"

"Let me guess," Tails interrupted the mad scientist's overly enthusiastic prattle, doubting his own research to bear such exciting results, "it's over 9000?"

"Exactly!" Eggman turned his beaming face from the microscope's eyepiece. "About twelve hundred cells per cubical millimeter! With such a high immunity level, I doubt Shadow can ever catch a cold. It's nigh impossible for him to contract a bacterial infection, or be infected with any sort of virus!"

Not really paying much attention to the doctor, Tails checked the result of the scan instead, not hoping for much. But then, he saw something quite unexpected.

"Huh? _1 file recovered_?" the young computer geek read aloud, almost skipping for joy. "Hey Eggman, come see this!"

Turning away from his leucocytes reluctantly, the man approached Tails' chair and crossed his arms casually.

"Well, would you look at that. Seems your hacking finally came in handy. As long as this isn't some ARK scientist's old shopping list, that is."

"No, it's not!" the thrilled youngster rejected his unimpressed colleague's doubts. "The file is still extracting, but take a look at the title! _The 31_ _st_ _'Project Shadow' Report_. The date indicates that it's from day 1829 of the research, which is over three months after the last one we've got!"

"Hm," Eggman, who was becoming increasingly interested, mumbled. Then he told the fox-

"Let's see the subtitle."

Checking the file's properties, Tails read-

" _Hedgehog DNA acquired_." After he and the doctor shared a curious look, he went on, saying- "Well, that still had to have been written way before Shadow's awakening. But this is good, too! So he was created as a hybrid of both terrestrial and alien genes, right?"

"Yes, that is correct," Eggman confirmed.

Waiting for the file to extract, Tails then expressed his thoughts.

"I always wondered why professor Gerald chose the DNA of a hedgehog, of all species. It's not like I have anything against hedgehogs, of course… Living with Sonic has taught me that their quills help them in both offence and defense. But if the prototype of the Ultimate Lifeform was a huge lizard, then why did your grandfather change his mind later on?"

Considering this to be a good, though rather naïve question, the nefarious scientist bared his teeth.

"I'm surprised a mobian with such _high moral standards_ as yourself would even ask that!" he jeered, making Tails frown at him. "The prototype was indeed a witless reptile, and that's exactly why it failed. Later, my grandfather decided to give Shadow a 'soul'- a mind and a will of his own, so that he wouldn't only be a weapon just like any other. He was meant to not only be powerful, but also morally pure! That's why he was raised with Maria. In his mind, my grandfather was convinced that only a living, thinking, pure-hearted being could cure both her, and humanity."

The fox was beginning to understand. And all of this was making him all the more sorry for the Project's ultimate failure.

"So that's why professor Gerald gave Shadow the physique of a sentient being…"

"Yes," the doctor continued. "Also, due to certain genetic modifications, mobians are actually on a higher level of evolutionary development than humans. This is why some of you possess super speed, or enhanced strength. The sign of that is also the lack of vestigial organs in your bodies. If I dissected you, I doubt I would find an appendix! Or toes, for that matter."

"Uh… toes?" Tails, who hadn't read many books on human anatomy in his life, wrinkled his brow.

"Yes, toes," the doctor explained to him, exasperated. "Fingers on your feet. Mobians don't have those, because, apparently, nature decided that their role as a vital organ is obsolete. Which may be the opposite case than with that extra appendage of yours, however."

" _What_?!" the shocked fox exclaimed, looking at his two tails. "I always thought that this was some kind of a genetic anomaly!"

"Ugh! It _is_ a genetic anomaly!" Eggman rolled his eyes. "It's just that no one can really tell if it's caused by a defected, or an evolutionarily advanced gene. In the latter case, it is possible that, in several thousand years, _all_ mobian foxes will be born with two tails, and will be able to fly around like some new species of birds in the sky."

This concept was greatly enjoyable to Tails. After all, his unusual appearance used to be a reason for bullying. The idea that it may have actually been a good thing, brought him a lot of relief.

"Hey, thanks for telling me that, doctor!" the youngster smiled. He never thought he would ever say such words to the likes of Eggman.

"You're welcome," the older scientist responded dryly, taking this as a sign of his intellectual superiority.

"That still doesn't answer my question, though," Tails then added. "Of all the different types of mobians, why did professor Gerald want Shadow to be a hedgehog?"

"Oh, that's even simpler," Eggman went on with his lecturing. "One of the many fields of my grandfather's work was archaeology. While he was researching the Fourth Great Civilization, in the echidnas' writings, he found an old prophesy about a powerful lifeform which was supposed to appear in the distant future, fully in tune with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Apparently, my grandfather took that as an inspiration. Not that he believed in some old superstition, of course…"

"But… that prophesy is true!" the fox lifted his voice in contradiction. "I saw the ancient echidna murals in the Hidden Palace on Angel Island. The legendary being depicted on it is in fact a hedgehog, but it's _Sonic_! When he was saving the Master Emerald from _you_!"

Hearing such an interpretation made Eggman laugh heartily.

" _Hahaha_!" he chortled, unfazed by how angry that caused Tails to feel. "Oh, _sure_ it was Sonic. The coming of that fast-food devouring indigo menace prophesied by ancient echidna lore! Puh! That's the best joke I've heard all day. Make sure to tell the same thing to Shadow himself- he'll throw you into the vacuum of space before you can say what the formula to the circumference of a circle is! Anyways, who cares about something as vague as prophesies? All that counts to a true scientist, is facts!"

"Errr…!" the irate fox felt his pressure rising each time the doctor persisted in contradicting everything he said. Turning around in resent, he once again redirected his focus toward the computer screen.

"The file's been fully extracted," he then pointed out coldly. "Let me just open it, and we'll see what new _facts_ I've been able to retrieve."

Tails said that to emphasize that, this time, he was the one who's been successful. But, for some reason, Eggman stopped him before carrying out his intention.

"Are you sure you want to read that?" the doctor asked rather mysteriously.

"Huh? Why not?" inquired Tails, who was extremely curious about what the file contained. After all, from its subtitle, one could hint that the data hidden therein would reveal who Shadow's mobian DNA donor, his 'parent', in a way, truly was.

For the longest time, the fox had wondered if there was even a slightest chance that Sonic and Shadow could have been related… He never dared to ask, and besides, who could know for sure? But now, this piece of old text might answer this question once and for all.

"I'm opening it," the youngster decided to contradict his older companion this time.

"Very well," Eggman shrugged, "but remember- sometimes, the less you know, the better you sleep!"

Undeterred by those words, Tails touched the keyboard with trembling fingers. The contents of the file entitled _The 31_ _st_ _'Project Shadow' Report_ then showed up on screen.

The over fifty-year-old report had been drawn up by the deceased professor Gerald Robotnik. As he read on, the fox noticed that Eggman was also peeking at his grandfather's words in the corner of his eye.

TOP SECRET

 _STATUS:_

 _Hedgehog DNA acquired._

 _NOTE:_

 _Day 1829. At the end of my visit to Earth, after delivering my account of the failure of Shadow's prototype at the GUN headquarters, I obtained permission to seek a more desirable physique for the Ultimate Lifeform- that of an anthromorph. However, with the Project necessarily remaining confidential to the public, I was not permitted to use the official medical blood banks._

 _Tasked with finding another source of DNA, I stumbled across a male hedgehog in the streets whose poor outfit indicated to me that he was homeless. I therefore invited him to participate in a medical experiment, vowing that he would be rewarded if he agreed to participate. Reluctant at first, the hedgehog complied after I showed him my credentials. After taking him to the lab, I drew a blood sample and examined it for any disease and other irregularities. To my joy, the sample turned out to be pure._

 _After giving the hedgehog a small monetary recompense, I assured him that his blood would be used to develop new cures for viral diseases. Both sides being satisfied, I sent him on his way, and returned to the ARK. My colleagues and I are presently working on the genome of this hedgehog I met on Earth, hoping that we can start_ _ _the cloning process_ as soon as possible. Perhaps the unnamed anthromorph's DNA will become the base for the creation of the Ultimate Lifeform, without him ever knowing about it._

When Tails finished reading, he hung his head. Eggman then fixed his eyes at him.

"Disappointed?" asked the doctor.

Reluctantly, the youngster had to agree.

"Yeah…" he mumbled back sadly, having only found out that Shadow's 'parent' was indeed nobody significant- some poor unknown hedgehog down on his luck, who was probably long dead anyway. It appeared that whether or not the black creature was related to his friend, though highly unlikely, was to nevertheless remain a mystery forever.

Eggman himself, however, continued to contemplate on professor Gerald's words as if there was more to them after all.

"Hmm…" he narrowed his eyes, thinking aloud. "This being an official report, it has no mention of the Black Arms. But after my grandfather contacted Black Doom, GUN still found out about that, somehow. They terminated Project Shadow when they discovered the arbitrary change in their initial plan…"

Turning away in order to return to his work with the microscope, Eggman spoke to Tails in a rather serious manner for a change.

"Shadow seems to have become very dispirited by the atmosphere of this place, wouldn't you agree? It looks to me that his old memories still won't leave him alone. I think he continues to blame himself for what happened all those years ago."

Such a suspicion was completely surprising to Tails. He may have not known Shadow as well as the doctor, but still he always had a different view of those tragic events.

"But wait. Maria's death wasn't Shadow's fault!" he pointed out with emphasis.

Eggman then turned around, and the fox noticed that he was in a much more somber mood than usually. Could it be that this nefarious villain was actually _concerned_ for his grandfather's creation?

"No," the doctor answered, folding his arms behind his back. "At least not directly. The problem is, he now realizes perfectly what he may have not known at that time- that he had the capacity to kill all the GUN soldiers who raided the ARK on that fateful day. But instead of doing that, he did what my cousin told him to do- run. He tried to save her, but in the end, Maria sacrificed her life to protect _him_. It was Shadow's voice that activated the launch of the capsule which brought him to Earth, making it impossible for him to save Maria's life at the same time. I think he still can't forget about that."

Tails had never heard this version of the story. And knowing that made him feel truly sorry for this dark creature, bereft parents and friends, or a past that was anything other than misery.

Eggman's meditative mood lasted for just a while, however. Before the fox was able to expand on the subject, the doctor groaned angrily, and said-

"Ah! Enough small talk. Back to work!"

Turning away, he then returned to examining Shadow's blood.

* * *

Tails and Eggman worked until late at night. But when they finally left the med lab, deciding to go to bed, once he was out of the range of his young guard's hearing, the doctor erred from the path to his room and proceeded to wander the space colony's metal corridors instead.

He found Shadow in the main gallery, alone, gazing through the ARK's window on planet Earth below them, as he had been accustomed to do since the first days after his creation. Though he did not turn around when the unwanted visitor entered the chamber, the doctor knew that the hedgehog was well aware of his presence. He also noticed that Shadow was holding an old photograph of Gerald and Maria Robotnik in his hand- the same one he had once discarded in that very same place.

"Aren't you going to retire for the night? It's late," Eggman addressed him, standing by the creature's side.

Not honoring the doctor with as much as turning to face him, still staring into space with a bitter expression he had not lost since coming here again, Shadow uttered-

"I've slept for five decades. I think that's quite enough."

To his surprise, that statement made Eggman realize that he had never seen the black being sleep… or eat. Was it really possible that he survived solely on chaos energy?

But even if it _was_ possible, it could only be true on a physical level. The doctor could see in Shadow's clouded, red eyes that the Ultimate Lifeform had in him a hunger which could not be satisfied so easily.

After a few more moments of silence, realizing that Eggman did not intend to leave, Shadow finally turned his eyes at the man, addressing him in irritation.

"What do you want from me? I've told you that I chose Tails to be the one who would tell me about the progress of the Project!"

Eggman then smiled innocently, saying-

"Why, can't I simply exchange a few words with my grandfather's greatest creation? I'm doing this by sacrificing the time I should use to rest, mind you. Because _I_ , unlike _you_ , have to sleep sometimes!"

Reluctant and frigid, Shadow redirected his sight at the panorama of Earth behind the window again. He did not tell Eggman to leave, however, thus indicating to him that he permitted the scientist to continue.

"The tests show that you really are the Ultimate Lifeform!" the doctor spoke enthusiastically, wishing to lift up the hedgehog's spirit. "Tails has told me that you have both outran, and defeated Sonic in battle on several different occasions. Which makes me wonder… If that is true, why haven't you ever… you know… _disposed_ of that spiky rat for good? He is your rival, after all!"

Eggman had wondered about that for a very long time. But Shadow himself was rather surprised by the question, since just a few days ago, Ken had asked him why _Sonic_ had not disposed of _Eggman_.

After a moment of consideration, Shadow turned around, and looked straight into the doctor's eyes.

"Sonic is weaker than me, but he's still much better than anyone else around here. He seems to like stopping petty criminals, which means that I don't have to bother myself with that… at least not most of the time. If I killed him, I think my life would soon become painfully boring."

Deeply offended by such a biting remark, the nefarious doctor made an angry face…

But then Shadow just offered him a cold shoulder, beginning to walk toward the exit, taking his old photograph with him.

* * *

 **AN: So this is my take on solving the mysteries of our shadowy edgemaster. These are my own theories, but they are based on the canon, nonetheless.**

 **So we know that the source of Shadow's alien DNA was Black Doom, but we haven't found out much more about his hedgehog 'parent'. Kind of like with Rey in Star Wars. We will simply never know if Sonic and Shadow, who are a bit similar to one another, are actually related. All we know is that, being arch-rivals, they 'need' one another, in a way. There is no other real challenge in the world for each of them, and Shadow is the embodiment of all that Sonic lacks- the reality of pain.**

 **Plus, the Sonic franchise needs an anti-hero, and who can fulfil that role better than Shadow himself?!**

 **I'm going on a little trip to Finland (of all places…) for the weekend, but I'll try to update sooner than last time. Thanks for being patient with me!**


	11. Toxicity

**AN: Hi guys! I'm back from Finland. So here's the next chapter for ya.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 – Toxicity**

Standing before Shadow and sergeant Mitsui in his long lab coat, Tails was trying as hard as he could to act professionally and hide that the responsibility he carried was making him feel a bit scared.

With Eggman standing in the corner grumpily, he was the one destined to deliver the result of their research to the two serious characters in front of him. And the way they both gawked at him, expecting to hear of progress, made the young scientist gulp.

"Ehm!" the fox cleared his throat, avoiding both the hedgehog and the man's stare. "So the good news is… until now, we've been able to thoroughly examine the different components present in Shadow's blood. We found some alien cells the function of which we're still trying to figure out, but we did discover that some of them are hyperactive, totipotent stem cells. It's those that are responsible for Shadow's regenerating abilities. Plus, we also managed to separate the leucocytes and take a close look at them, as well. _ToastBot_! The tray, please."

When Tails called the little service robot's name, it quickly drove over to his side. Then, the fox picked up a test-tube brought to him by Toast Bot, which contained a liquid similar to black ink.

"We think that here lies the answer to all of our questions", Tails explained with a note of scientific zeal as he presented the test-tube to his hearers. "These cells are the source of Shadow's total immunity. Whatever bacteria or parasite we fire at them, they immediately subject it to a process of rapid phagocytosis…"

Noticing that the others were not exactly impressed with his medical lingo, Tails elaborated-

"… I-I mean, they completely neutralize and destroy it! Preventing the invading organism from doing any harm to the body."

Happy with his and Eggman's discovery, Tails exhibited a smile before Shadow and Ken. The hedgehog, however, was not going to let himself be satisfied just yet.

"You said that this was the _good_ news," he pointed out, lifting a brow. "But that must mean that there is also some _bad_ news you've got to deliver to us. Am I right?"

His bubble having been burst by the black creature's acumen, the fox wagged his two tails rather nervously. He turned to Eggman to find some solace, but the old man only offered him a disinterested shrug.

"Uhm…" Tails stammered, crushed with the weight of Ken and Shadow's impatience yet again. "Well… i-it's not as easy as we thought. Problem is, most of the resources in the ARK's medical facilities have either been destroyed, or are already expired. We simply can't proceed any further before we expose Shadow's blood to the human neuro-immunodeficiency virus. And a sample of HNIV is something we, unfortunately, don't exactly possess…"

Tails expected that Shadow would get mad after finding this out. After all, such an oversight was bound to obstruct the progress of the Project.

But the hedgehog himself, grim though not angry, turned away from the fox and faced sergeant Mitsui instead.

"My creator had been experimenting with the virus for a long time before this place was shut down…" he said as if he were speaking to himself. "Although he hated it, he needed to keep his granddaughter Maria here as a test subject, in hope that he would finally find a cure someday. But now, Maria is gone…"

For a moment, Ken stood in silence, attempting to estimate what was going on in the dark creature's mind. Finally, he spoke to him in a lowered voice.

"We can always return to Earth to obtain a sample, _Shadō-sama_. There are many infected people there. And all of them would gladly give you some of their blood, in hope that it could help find a way to save their lives."

Lifting his head at the man, Shadow took a few more moments to think about his proposition. Afterwards, he silently nodded.

"Excellent," said the sergeant, turning to Eggman next. " _Dokutā Robotonikku!_ Ready your ship for us, we haven't a moment to lose. Shadow and I will obtain the sample, while you and _Teirusu-san_ carry on with your research here."

Surprised by Ken's words, the reluctant scientist suddenly snapped out of his slumber. Taking a step forward, he spoke in an offended manner.

"I beg your pardon? Since when do _you_ possess the right to give orders to _me_? The Magnum Eggtopus is _my_ ship! I can find no reason why I should permit anyone else to use it!"

The two men shared a stare of mutual hatred. An expression of anger appearing on his face due to the doctor's arrogance, sergeant Mitsui reached for his sword.

" _This_ is my reason, you bald, deranged _baka_ _!"_

Before the situation got any uglier, grinding his teeth, Shadow grabbed the infuriated soldier's hand, stopping him.

"We haven't got time for senseless banter!" the hedgehog growled. "Tails, Eggman! Do what he said and continue with your work, we will be back with what you need shortly. As for you, sergeant… I advise that you brace yourself."

" _What?_ " the perplexed Ken asked, concerned with the fact that the black creature would not let go of him. " _Shadō-sama,_ what are you…"

He didn't have the opportunity to finish. Closing his eyes to concentrate for a while, Shadow suddenly uttered-

" _Chaos Control!_ "

The man was immediately blinded by an intense light. Losing his balance, he tripped, releasing a short scream as he fell to the ground. But what he hit was not the cold metal floor of the space colony. Instead, it was a soft carpet of grass.

Completely bewildered, the man jumped to his feet. Looking around, he saw Shadow still standing right by his side.

"What happened? Where are we?" asked the sergeant, his eyes only now adjusting to the sun again.

The hedgehog answered as if he were annoyed by the way his use of teleportation had stunned the man.

"We're on Earth, where else?" Shadow revealed to his partner, turning toward a big building in front of them. "This is the hospital where you took me just a few days ago. Now, get a hold of yourself and let's get that blood sample!"

Noticing that the hedgehog was telling the truth, Ken stood in astonishment. The sight of this place caused him to feel a sudden pain in his heart… But when he saw Shadow walking toward the building, he had no time left for hesitation.

" _Shadō-sama!_ W-wait for me!" the confused man cried out.

After he caught up with this dark creature who never ceased to surprise him, although his knees were shaking, he began to lead the way. Once again, the two entered the NIDS treatment hospital- or rather, the place where humans infected with the neuro-immunodeficiency virus awaited their death.

In the corner of his eye, Shadow noticed that the man walking by his side was becoming increasingly anxious with each passing step, which was very odd for a strong military person like sergeant Mitsui. His face was redder than usual, with large beads of sweat covering his forehead. Though it was a bit strange, the hedgehog paid it no great attention, until they stood in front of one of the patients' rooms.

Ken was about to grab the doorknob, when suddenly his hand shook.

"Is something wrong?" Shadow inquired, glancing at him suspiciously.

The man then took a deep breath, and wiped off the sweat from his face.

"It's nothing," Ken responded in a low, heavy voice. "It's just… the atmosphere of this dreadful place."

He opened the door… and the hedgehog immediately understood what sergeant Mitsui meant by calling the hospital 'dreadful'.

Inside of the room, on a bed flanked by various medical equipment, there lay a girl who could not have been older than twelve. It was really hard to say, as the seriousness of her disease made her appearance almost unrecognizable as that of a human. Her face was almost yellow in color, her body hardly anything more than skin loosely stretched over a living skeleton.

Seeing her made Shadow remember someone else from his past… another girl of similar age, who had also suffered from the same disease. Was _this_ how Maria would have ended up, had the GUN soldier's bullet not terminated her life prematurely?

The Ultimate Lifeform flinched, barely keeping himself from audibly gasping.

No. He could not let _anyone_ suffer this way. This horrible virus had to be stopped- he now realized that he had to make it his main enemy.

The two of them walked inside the room slowly, standing at the foot of the sick girl's bed in silence. Shadow noticed that Ken was fixing his eyes at the patient intensely. Only after a minute did he speak.

"She is suffering from an advanced stage of NIDS," the man explained, deep sorrow resounding in his voice. "It all starts with symptoms no more serious than a common cold… but by now, the virus has affected most of the neurons. When enough time passes, the disease will have completely eaten away her whole nervous system… which will inevitably result in death."

Both of them then looked at one another.

"As of yet, medicine knows no way in which NIDS can be stopped at this stage, nor how to reverse its devastating effects," Ken mumbled, his compassion rendering him unable to speak out clearly.

The grim Shadow narrowed his eyes, frowning.

"That's why we're here for" he said dryly. "To _find_ a way."

His partner nodded, and then, although tardily, he got to work. Walking up to the table on the side of the bed, he put on a pair of rubber gloves and took from it a syringe and a needle. Although his hands were still shaking, Shadow had the feeling that the sergeant knew what he was doing.

Finding a vein in the girl's gaunt, deteriorated arm wasn't hard, and the syringe was soon filled with crimson liquid infected with HNIV. Ken then carefully injected the blood into a small plastic jar, sealed it tightly, and hid it in his coat.

Without further ado, the two left the sick girl's room before anyone got suspicious. Shadow wished to get out of there as soon as possible, yet the man, somehow looking as if he were completely exhausted, heavily sat in one of the chair in the hospital hallway.

"I will join you shortly, _Shadō-sama_ ," he huffed at the hedgehog. "Please, wait for me outside. I just… require a moment of rest."

Unsure of what it all meant, the hedgehog did what the man asked him. Standing in the shade of a tree, he spent several minutes attempting to shake away his own horrible memories. No matter how hard he tried, though, he couldn't get the image of the old photo of Maria and professor Gerald he had picked up in the ARK's control room out of his mind…

Finally, Ken, pale on the face and completely shaken, also exited the hospital.

They both stood in silence for a while, each of them feeling the weight of the internal suffering in his own way. But they also realized that, if there was any hope left, it lay in the work they were trying to complete.

"I once met an old researcher from the ARK here," Ken revealed to his partner, looking somewhere into the distance. "The man had worked on Project Shadow along with your creator. He died of NIDS."

"How ironic," responded the hedgehog, and there was no pleasure whatsoever in the somber tone of his voice.

Inducing Chaos Control yet again after concentrating on their destination for a moment, as such a far-distance warp, especially done twice, required the use of a large amount of energy, Shadow teleported himself and Ken back to the ARK's med lab.

Tails and Eggman were both busy with the work, turning from their desks in astonishment after they saw the flash of chaos energy within the chamber.

"Well, you came back soon!" the fox observed, satisfied. "I thought it would take you hours to get the sample! You… did get the sample, didn't you?"

Shadow then addressed him coldly-

"Sonic isn't the only fast hedgehog around here. _Mitsui-san!_ Give our researchers that which they've requested."

Without a word, Ken reached into the pocket of his coat, showing to everyone the jar with the blood in it. Eggman quickly ran up to him, grabbing the small vessel from his hand.

"Where'd you get that?" asked the doctor. "Ah, no matter! Do you have any idea how toxic this sample is?!"

Leaving the sergeant gazing at him angrily, Eggman went over to where their lab equipment lay. First, he placed the plastic jar on top of the table. Then, he put a second pair of gloves over the ones he already wore.

In the meantime, Tails, Shadow and Ken stood behind the doctor's back, observing his work. After opening the container with the infected blood carefully, Eggman drew some of it with a thin needle, and placed the specimen under a microscope.

"Hmm," pondered the scientist, looking through the device's eye piece. "Yes, this blood is definitely infected with HNIV. The CD4 cell count is way below 200 per microliter. The leucocytes are almost all afflicted with it, as well…"

"We know that already!" Ken suddenly burst out in rage. "Quit wasting our time!"

Turning around in his chair, Eggman ground his teeth at first for being yelled at. But then, swallowing his pride, he arose and went over to the test-tube which contained the cells from Shadow's blood. Drawing some of the black plasma with another syringe, he then addressed his fellow scientist.

"Tails! Display the image from the quark microscope on the screen."

"Roger that!" responded the fox.

After the young researcher clicked a few buttons on the computer console, all of them could see the enhanced view of the sick girl's infected blood. The holographic screen filled the room with a red glow.

The blood cells seemed lifeless, and there was hardly any movement among them.

"Now, let's see what effect will Shadow's ultimate leucocytes have on the virus!" Eggman uttered, shaking with emotion.

As he sat in front of the microscope with the syringe in his hand, everyone's eyes were fixed at the displayed image. The tip of the thin needle seemed humongous to them.

Now everyone- Shadow, Tails, Ken, and even Eggman, were holding their breath.

A black liquid started pouring out of the needle as the doctor slowly injected Shadow's cells on the watch glass, mixing them with the contaminated blood. The black creature's leucocytes seemed way more lively than those of the sick human. But as soon as they detected the presence of the infected cells…

Moving rapidly within the plasma, the leucocytes attached themselves to all other blood cells- red, white, and everything else. And, after just a few seconds, their color also began to turn black.

"Oh my…" gasped Tails, covering his mouth with his hands. His ears fell flat, and he looked deeply concerned.

"What is going on?" Ken almost yelled.

No answer came.

" _Tell us!_ " Shadow then ordered the two scientists harshly, himself becoming extremely disturbed by the red screen suddenly turning dark like that.

Moving away from the microscope, looking totally disapointed, Eggman hung his head.

"Shadow's leucocytes…" the man said gloomily. "It appears that they have treated all of the human cells as a threat… even those that weren't infected! As a result, they subjected all of them to phagocytosis…"

"It means that they killed them!" Tails explained, himself almost in shock. "Your blood, Shadow… It's perfectly immune to all outside infestations. When coming in contact with other cells, whatever they are… it destroys all of them. Which means that, unlike we had thought… in pure form… your blood is deadly to all living creatures."

Making that announcement was not easy for the young fox. But when he saw the looks on everyone's faces when he delivered it…

Ken was turning his head in disbelief, an expression of despair twisting his appearance. Shadow, on the other hand, had his eyes downcast and closed shut, his fists clenched, looking as if he was about to destroy the whole space colony in a fit of unbridled wrath.

The words of Gerald Robotnik echoed within his mind.

 _This is exactly why you were created, my son! The reason why your own life will never run out, is that you will be able to share part of it with others… Inside you, Shadow, in your heart… there lies the antidote for both Maria's, and all of humanity's diseases!_

Was his creator wrong? Or was he just _lying_ to him all along?

Tails and Eggman flinched when Shadow finally opened his eyes, exhibiting nothing but pure anger. Which, in the case of the Ultimate Lifeform, was something to be dreaded.

The scientists attempted to explain themselves, somehow… but they didn't have the time. Before either of them said a single word, the hedgehog turned his back at them and walked out of the room, his heavy footsteps resounding within the ARK's empty corridors.

The rest were left stupefied. The first one who understood what Shadow's reaction meant, was Ken. Turning to the two researchers, he spoke to them more serious than ever, almost screaming.

"There _must_ be more that can still be done!" he pierced both the man and the fox with a demanding stare. " _Find out what it is!_ "

He then exited the lab, running after Shadow.

* * *

 **AN: Finding the cure for NIDS isn't going to be as easy as our heroes had thought. After all, professor Gerald had looked for it for who knows how long, and found nothing.**

 **The question is- does Shadow have enough patience in him to let his thoughts and memories torment his mind until any progress can be made?**


	12. What Does The Ultimate Lifeform Do - ?

**Song for this chapter- Green Day,** _ **Boulevard of Broken Dreams**_ **. It fits Shadow perfectly!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12 – What Does The Ultimate Lifeform Do In His Free Time?**

Ken caught up with Shadow before the angered hedgehog warped to some unknown sanctuary within the space colony. At first, the man attempted to speak to him about what had happened in the medical lab, but the dark creature sternly refused.

Assuring him that Tails and Eggman would continue to look for another solution, the sergeant then suggested that perhaps Shadow and him could continue their training to get their minds off the recent unfortunate discovery. This time, though reluctantly, the hedgehog decided to comply.

Shadow and Ken had been using the ARK's recreational facilities in order to improve their skills while the two scientists were busy with their job. Continuing their routine now seemed like a good idea.

After they entered the gym, the sergeant took off his coat and began stretching, observing his partner in the corner of his eye. Shadow himself still seemed very gloomy, simply standing on the wooden floor with his head lowered, grasping a wooden bokken.

The hedgehog insisted that Ken should use his katana during their sparring sessions, even though he himself always wielded a training sword. By now, the sergeant considered that to be a wise solution, since he had not been able to hit the swift opponent even once, himself receiving many blows from him all the while. But his failures, as Ken saw it, were making him become better each time.

Today, he was determined to, in the least, manage to slice Shadow's bokken in half with his razor-sharp blade. The hedgehog was distracted, and perhaps that meant that his defenses would be lowered. The man wasn't worried about making his opponent angry, since he had noticed that Shadow's mood actually improved whenever the fight was more of a challenge.

When everything was ready, Ken stood in front of Shadow with his katana, customarily greeting his rival with a deep bow. The hedgehog, as usual, did not return the courtesy.

The swordsman attacked without warning, as he knew that sparring with Shadow meant that he had to be as fast as he possibly could. Redirecting his attention from the recent deadlock in the development of the NIDS cure, he focused on the battle completely.

As many times before, the hedgehog dodged his first few attacks with no effort, though they had agreed that Shadow would not use teleportation during their sparring sessions. Hovering above the floor at the speed of sound, he seemed completely disinterested, his thoughts drifting away. Ken saw this as an opportunity, as he had learnt that, in case of the Ultimate Lifeform, it was impossible to wait for him to simply tire out.

Indeed, immersed in his wondering, Shadow seemed to have become vulnerable for a second. When Ken rushed in with a surprisingly agile slash, the hedgehog, for some reason, did not dodge his attack. Instead, he lifted up his bokken at the last moment to protect himself, seemingly carelessly…

When the steel collided with the wood, Ken gasped as the severed tip of the training sword flew through the air. All his rival was holding in his hand now, was a useless stub.

But the skilled swordsman had made one mistake. Attempting such a daring attack, even though it was successful, caused the momentum of the katana to carry him, thus exposing himself. It appeared that Shadow had purposely lured him into doing that, knowing that, even though he sacrificed his weapon, the direction of Ken's attack would not allow him to do his opponent any physical harm.

What did not work both ways, unfortunately for the sergeant.

Before Ken was able to raise his sword again to defend himself, Shadow sprung up with the use of his jet shoes, performing a finesse mid-air kick with the velocity of lighting. His rival felt the metal of the hedgehog's heavy boot collide with his exposed side… and the pain caused everything to become dark.

Ken was instantly thrown to the floor, dropping his katana, and slid on the smooth wooden surface for about a dozen yards. When he stopped, the defeated man grasped his burning side with a painful howl. It appeared that Shadow had accidentily shattered some of his ribs.

When the sergeant lifted his eyes at the hedgehog, he saw an expression of rage twisting his face. Sadly, contrary to what Ken had intended, instead of forgetting about the anger caused by his dark thoughts, Shadow subconsciously redirected it at his sparring partner.

" _Kuso!_ " cursed the enraged warrior, his suffering causing him to clench his teeth. "Kicking during a duel is against bushido, _Shadō-sama_!"

After hearing his rival's rebuke, the dark creature looked as if someone had awakened him from a dream. Blinking and looking away, he threw the stub of the bokken he was still holding in his hand to the floor. His facial features smoothened, and he breathed more calmly. When he spoke, his voice sounded almost apologetically.

"Go to the medical room. The Heal Unit should fix you up in no time."

He then quickly departed, leaving the wounded man still lying on the floor.

* * *

Everyone understood perfectly that, after finding out about the toxicity of his blood, Shadow was extremely upset. That became even more evident when Tails and Eggman saw Ken lying down in the tank of the Heal Unit, groaning in pain, to fix his broken ribs. The duo of scientists realized that it would be batter for them to double their efforts now.

They worked until late at night. But after Tails made sure that the doctor had retired to his chamber, instead of going to sleep himself, he felt compelled to direct his steps elsewhere.

Having removed his lab coat, the fox began strolling along the vast hallways of the ARK, which were flanked with sets of identical doors to empty rooms once inhabited by the space station's personnel. He wasn't quite sure what to look for, and although he strained his ears, all he heard was dead silence.

After reaching the end of a long, dark corridor, he was close to abandoning his search and returning to his own quarters. But then he noticed that, a bit farther, there was one more door by the wall, set apart from the rest.

When he stood before it, the fox saw that it looked just like all the others, except for one small detail- namely, it was adorned with an old, scratched red emblem of the Black Arm aliens.

Tails realized that this was the door to Shadow's private chamber- the one where he had lived after his awakening, before the ARK had been shut down. Although he was happy to have made that discovery, the youngster hesitated before going any further…

When he stretched out his hand to knock on the door, he noticed his hand shaking. It was very likely that the room's inhabitant was not in the mood for receiving visitors. Especially after breaking his partner's ribs earlier that day.

At first, the fox knocked delicately. Not hearing an answer, he estimated that Shadow might have actually been elsewhere, after all. But then he noticed a panel at the side of the door with a glowing green light, indicating that it was open.

Risking a daring move, Tails decided to take a peek inside, just to make sure. He pressed the button on the panel, which caused the door to slide open…

… and he was immediately forced to cover his ears, as a wave of violent, banging sound suddenly attacked him from inside the chamber.

Shadow's room appeared to be soundproof. Within it, brooding by the large window as he gazed at the Earth below, stood the hedgehog himself. His face was grim, and his arms hung loosely at his sides. The interior of the chamber was of the color of raw metal, undecorated, its furnishing sparse if not Spartan. The bed within the room looked as if it had never been used, but right by it, there stood an object which was quite the opposite- a worn, old, black 'flying V' electric guitar with the same symbol as Tails saw on the door, which was printed on its body. The neck of the instrument was basically sawdust.

On the opposite side, there stood a computer console with an open music player, pouring heavy tones out of its speakers so loudly that the intensity of the sound almost made the two-inch thick bullet-proof glass of the widow shake.

The music appeared to have 'soothed' the dark creature, somehow. When the fox got used to its high volume enough to be able to uncover his ears, he noticed that the guitar riffs were no more than four looped chords, followed by an artillery of raging percussion.

The booming noise seemed irritating to him at first, but the longer he listened to it, the more he realized how much it reminded him of the sounds he would hear within his own workshop- those of roaring engines, and metal grating against metal. The rhythm of machines- sounds which were soothing to _him_.

As he stood by the console, waving his head delicately along with the rhythm, he wondered if Shadow was aware of his presence.

But the inhabitant of the chamber, though preoccupied with his pondering, had noticed the visitor before he even knocked on the door. Tails was only able to enter because the hedgehog permitted him to do that.

Shadow had spent many hours watching the planet below them, thinking of humanity- the race which lived there. He thought of the childhood he never experienced. His peaceful, early life which was so rapidly ended. And the one he lived now- where he seemed to be unable to find even a bit of rest, no matter how hard he tried.

The room was suddenly filled with silence as Tails pressed the pause button on the computer console to catch the hedgehog's attention. Shadow looked over his shoulder slightly, showing that he expected the visitor to speak, and explain the reason for this unannounced coming.

The fox dared to take another step, hiding his hands behind his back awkwardly and brushing the ground with his tails.

"I-I came to ask how you were doing," he stammered quietly, unsure of what else to say.

Shadow offered him an annoyed sigh, looking back toward the blue planet in the distance.

"That is none of your concern. Don't you have other duties to attend to?"

Noticing the youngster flinch made him realize that he said those words a bit too harshly. The hedgehog then remembered his earlier outburst, during which he had injured an ally… The Ultimate Lifeform felt a pinch of remorse. After all, he scared Tails despite having assured him that the fox didn't have to be afraid of him.

It appeared that the crestfallen visitor was about to depart, so Shadow turned around to face him, indicating that he wanted the fox to stay. He then spoke more tranquilly, changing the subject.

"How's Sonic?" asked the hedgehog, the question catching Tails off guard.

"Uhm… a little grumpy, but all in all okay, I guess," the Blue Blur's once-sidekick, who was now his captive friend's caretaker, delivered his report.

Noticing the change in the black creature's attitude which was caused by his words made him become a bit more bold.

"Shadow, why do you and Sonic always have to argue with one another?" the youngster asked with the slightest note of rebuke. "He's not the bad guy, you know. And neither are you."

The inquiry made Shadow frown, although fortunately for the fox, he kept his emotions at bay this time.

"I find no pleasure in wrangling with him," he stated strongly, "but someone has to scold Sonic for his arrogance. If I won't, then who will? _You?_ For some reason, all of you still treat him as if he were flawless!"

"Well, 'flawless' isn't exactly the word I would use," Tails attempted to shake the black hedgehog's accusation. Then, weighing his words carefully, he added- "But you're not of the humble type yourself, you know…"

Even still, Shadow remained passionless.

"All I'm doing is saying the truth. I am the Ultimate Lifeform, not him. By challenging me and making himself ultimate, Sonic is lying, whereas when I say it, I'm only reminding him of where things really stand. Still…"

An eerie shade suddenly went over the dark creature's face. It looked as if he had something totally different on his mind right now, other than what Tails and him were talking about, and that uneasy thought was weighing him down. His visitor glared at his curiously and with concern as Shadow redirected his sight toward the window, talking as if he were only addressing himself.

"What good is being ultimate, if you cannot fulfil your purpose? Here, in this cursed place… even _I_ feel powerless."

His voice now heavy with grief, which for a creature as mighty as him was quite unexpected, the hedgehog placed the palm of his hand on the thick glass of the window, saying-

"My destiny… was to save the people of that planet."

He then turned his face toward the young fox standing behind his back, broken, overcome with misery. Tails was completely dumbstruck, never having seen him in such a state ever before.

"GUN called the Project 'Shadow' because they thought that the Ultimate Lifeform was something intangible and unobtainable. And still, here I am. What they did... Have they… created a monster? As you said, my blood is poison. I cannot know death, yet... that is the only thing I seem to be able to give to others!"

Looking for an answer, yet not finding one, the anxious Tails hesitated. It was then that he heard Shadow scream. He shuddered, although the dark creature was not yelling at him.

" _Why_ did I survive?!" the hedgehog raged, clenching his fist at the hated planet below them. "After the destruction of the Biolizard, I thought I could simply be swallowed up by darkness, and rest after completing my mission!"

Turning around, he began walking, forcing the fox to step aside. As he did so, Shadow did not cease to yell, his voice increasing in volume with each sentence.

" _Why_ must I live forever? Why was I even created?! Why must I return to this damn metal tomb which I thought I could finally leave behind?!"

The hedgehog now stood in front of his bed, and his guest noticed that on the sheets there lay an old, black and white photograph of Gerald and Maria Robotnik. Grabbing the picture, Shadow gazed at it with a frown of distaste for a while. Afterward, he made ready to tear it up into pieces…

… but he just couldn't force himself to do so.

Groaning angrily, he threw the photograph back to where it were before. Then, he went back to his spot in front of the window, crossing his arms. It was as if a stone statue came to life for a while, only to return to its frozen state a moment later, standing motionlessly on top of its pedestal.

Tails, completely confused, was totally unsure of how he ought to react. He certainly didn't wish to hurt the angered hedgehog even more. But, then again, he felt in his heart that he had to say _something_.

"Shadow. It almost seems like… you hate your creator for giving you life!" the fox uttered sadly, with a fair dose of compassion.

The dark being remained silent for a longer moment, fixing his eyes firmly at the Earth. His answer came in the form of a single word he basically whispered in a tone resounding with internal pain-

"Sometimes."

This was truly tragic, thought Tails. Shadow must have been haunted by such dreadful ideas before, and now, after what Eggman and him had discovered, they must have attacked with an intensified violence.

But the fox knew something the hedgehog did not. And he was not going to leave that to himself. Instead, he decided that the right thing to do would be to share the hope he still carried inside him.

Walking up to the hedgehog without fear, he put his hand on Shadow's elbow. The black creature flinched, surprised, but did not shake off this expression of companionship.

"Do you know why you're the more advanced of professor Gerald's creations than the Biolizard?" Tails' question, as well as his smile, came out of the blue.

Shadow stood with his mouth open for a second or two. Then, regaining his serious composure, he answered-

"I'm more powerful."

"True, but not only that," continued the fox. "You're the ultimate, because you're self-sufficient. You have a mind and will of your own. You're free, all things considered. You're not determined by what others wanted you to be, or even by what's in your blood."

Noticing something peculiar about the youngster's words, Shadow narrowed his eyes.

"Wait a minute. You're basically repeating to me the same things I've said to you. On the first day, right after we arrived on the ARK."

Although he was caught red-handed, in a way, Tails continued to smile.

"But that's what friends are for!" he shrugged with a chuckle. "To state the obvious to you when you forget about it!"

 _Friendship?_ Now that was something Shadow had not thought about in a long time. Not since he stood in the very same spot fifty years earlier, with another child right there at his side…

Maria.

Yes, he had to remember. Although she was gone, he had to endure… for _her_.

"That's true," Shadow responded rather casually, hiding his true emotions. Once again he looked toward the Earth, turning away from his young visitor. "I choose my own fate. But the choice I make is to help the people of this planet. I want to save them from the loss I was forced to feel. In memory of Maria."

His final sentence was a question he was eagerly waiting to ask, but the answer to which he wasn't sure he wanted to hear after what Eggman and Tails had revealed to him earlier. But the time has come, regardless.

"Is that still possible?" the hedgehog inquired, his eyes fixed at the black void of space.

When Tails delivered his response, Shadow was happy to hear that the child scientist's voice was quite enthusiastic.

"Well, the doctor and I are going to have to modify the DNA in your antibodies so that they only attack the HNIV in the infected blood. This may take some work, but a live virus is much like a computer virus. And all computer viruses can be cracked."

Indeed, this was good news, in spite of everything. Looking a bit refreshed, his head lifted high, Shadow turned to face the fox and commended him with a firm nod.

"Thank you, Miles," he said after a moment of silence.

The youngster responded with a bright smile.

"Wow, no one ever calls me by my real name anymore! You're welcome, Shadow. You can be sure that I'll do all that's in my power to finish the Project. I know how much this means to you… and to everyone else down there."

Indeed, speaking to him made the black hedgehog remember what exactly was this sensation called friendship.

He didn't have to ask Tails to leave. The fox was already very tired himself. The two of them soon exchanged their goodbyes, after which Shadow returned to his guard post before the window, whereas the youngster began walking back toward the door.

Before leaving, he halted by the computer console, however.

"Do you want me to turn the music back on, Shadow?" Tails asked the room's inhabitant.

"Yeah," the hedgehog responded without turning around.

But when the fox took a peek at his playlist, he hesitated.

"Uhm… the next track is the Sonic Mania theme. You want me to skip that?"

Tails was positive that Shadow would much rather listen to something more 'edgy'. But, astonishingly to him, the dark being sent him a glare of staunch denial.

"No, are you crazy?! The Mania theme's awesome, why would you want to skip it?"

Not saying anything more, Tails turned on the music, and promptly vanished behind the soundproof door of Shadow's chamber. When the sound from the speakers resounded within the room again, the dark creature finally felt his headache ease a bit.


	13. The Robotnik - Prower Theorem

**Chapter 13 – The Robotnik – Prower Theorem**

Ken was sitting by the table in silence, drinking from his pocket flask from time to time. His face was red, and rather somber. Shadow did not join him, but instead stood aside patiently, his arms folded on his chest.

The two had rarely spoken to one another in the past few days, ever since the 'accident' which occurred during their last training session. Though the sergeant swore that he was not mad with the hedgehog for not holding back his full power that one time, they both agreed that from then on they would train separately.

The mood within the ARK had been kind of a gloomy one, until Tails and Eggman requested to meet with the duo revealing that they had an important announcement. They each said that with so much glee that Ken and Shadow were close to regain their greatly undermined hope- but they needed to see in order to believe, first.

Finally, the doors to the meeting room opened, and the two scientists- the man and the fox- walked inside, each dressed in a lab coat and bearing a toothy grin. They looked like they just won a million rings, or something.

Ken turned his clouded, blood-shot eyes at them in anticipation. Shadow also glared at the two carefully.

"Well?" the hedgehog mouthed a curt inquiry.

Tails and Eggman, however, continued to smile mysteriously.

"My friend," the nefarious doctor addressed his young colleague in a way they had not heard him do that ever before, "don't you think it's an appropriate time for a toast to honor our mutual achievements?"

"I most certainly do!" said the fox, and Shadow immediately thought that if Sonic was here to see this, he would have probably gotten a heart attack.

"ToastBot!" Eggman then called the automaton which rolled into the room behind the two scientists. "Bring us the bubbly!"

Immediately obeying, the robot poured two glasses of non-alcoholic Spumante, giving them to the overjoyed doctor and his furry companion. Next, he went over to Ken, also offering a drink to him, but the astonished man raised his flask, indicating that he had his own stuff. When the adequately-named ToastBot approached Shadow, however, the hedgehog ignored him totally, instead fixing his angry stare at the celebrating science team.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked, clearly indicating to both Tails and Eggman that he was beginning to lose his patience.

Sipping from their glasses, the duo grinned yet again. Finally, the fox began to explain the reasons of their behavior.

"Everyone, doctor Eggman and I are proud to announce to you that, after working arduously for the past few days, we've been able to discover things the scientists of Earth could until recently only dream about! And all that thanks to the sample of Shadow's blood!"

"Have you found the cure?!" the blood sample's donor inquired directly, not really interested in the details of the research.

The brightness of the duo of colleagues' faces dimmed a bit.

"Not yet," said Eggman, putting his empty glass back on the tray presented to him by ToastBot, "but we are well on the way!"

Ken and Shadow shared a grim look…

"How can you celebrate if the work has not yet been completed?!" said the sergeant, his voice shaking with anger additionally emphasized by the redness of his face.

"Just listen!" Tails lifted up his hands in a calming gesture, still smiling, though a tad more awkwardly. "For the longest time, the doctor and I have been unable to determine the reasons of why the cells in Shadow's blood have such unique properties. Since we needed to know that in order to decipher the genome of the leucocytes, we set off with a series of tests…"

"… and then we remembered that we've been ignoring the obvious!" Eggman took over his companion's monologue, speaking with increasing zeal and a lot of vigorous gesticulation. "The fact that some of the other cells seemed a bit alien to us was because they are, actually, exactly that- _alien_ cells, just like those of the Black Arms, and therefore absent from the bloodstream of any terrestrial being!"

"It was really hard to make out what those were at first," continued Tails. "We gazed at them for hours, and all that came to mind was that they didn't look like regular matter. Ha! We didn't realize that, all along, the answer was right before our noses!"

"See, it's because some of those alien cells are actually _not_ made of ordinary matter…" elaborated the doctor, what made Ken narrow his eyes.

" _What?_ " blurted out the completely confused and only moderately sober sergeant.

"You see," the young fox jumped right in with an explanation, "the whole universe's mass is made up of three different elements. Regular, observable matter constitutes only about 4,9 % of that number. The rest is mostly what's called 'dark energy', which amounts to 68,3 %. The rest, that is 26,8%, is what's usually referred to as 'dark matter'. Dark matter is normally invisible, because it doesn't interact with any observable electromagnetic radiation…"

Then Eggman and Tails, speaking alternately, eagerly and at length explained to Ken and Shadow the basics of a completely new branch of science they've discovered together, which they named 'quantum-physical cosmological molecular biology'.

Apparently, Tails was the first one who suggested that the doctor and him should 'think outside the Standard Model', and assume that Shadow's alien cells were made of dark, not baryonic, matter. They both agreed it was somewhat of a eureka moment.

At first, Eggman thought that theory to be ludicrous, and protested that, if it were true, it would completely disprove the General Theory of Relativity. The fox then acutely retorted, reminding him that the GTR had actually already been proven incorrect generations earlier. Agreeing begrudgingly, the doctor asked how Tails wished to prove his assumption, since the only way for that to be possible for them would be through the use of a Large Hadron Collider (which Eggman had not brought with him from Earth, since the cumbersome contraption would not fit into the Magnum Eggtopus). It was then that Tails showed to his astounded colleague another one of his invention- a hand-held gizmo he called the 'Small Hadron Collider'. Afterwards, as both the scientists agreed, the real fun began…

Apparently, after just a few more days of research, they were able to discover things that, as they themselves estimated, would carve their names written in golden letters into the history of science. Having dissected the alien 'dark cells' in Shadow's blood, they were able to find sub-atomic particles which have until recently only been theorized about. Plus, they also discovered a new chemical element (with the atomic number 124). At one point, Eggman also thought to have discovered a second one, but the element actually turned out to be a very unusual and extremely unstable carbon isotope.

"In conclusion," Tails announced triumphantly, "we agreed to name the new element 'Tailanium', since I was the one who discovered it."

"We had a bit of a squabble over how our theory about how dark matter can coexist with baryonic particles within the cells of a living being can occur," Eggman added, "but in the end, we decided to stick with calling it the 'Robotnik – Prower Theorem'. We expect to publish the results of our research as soon as we get back to Earth."

After such a lengthy elaboration, both of the self-satisfied scientists stood with their chests puffed up for a while. And then, unable to contain their joy, they burst out with a wave of successful laughter. This indeed seemed like a dream come true to them, the greatest achievement of their lives.

Ken and Shadow, who have listened to their whole speech patiently awaiting to hear of the advancement of the Project, now gazed at the duo as if they were a pair of crazies.

" _Jūbun'na!_ " the sergeant suddenly struck the surface of the table with his fist, obviously not too happy about the way Tails and Eggman acted. " _Yakunitatanai orokamono!_ " **[1]**

Having said that (and he was basically screaming), he took his sword as well as his flask, and walked out of the room.

The happy researchers ignored him, continuing to chortle for a couple more seconds. But when they noticed Shadow's piercing glare, they eventually stopped completely.

The three persons left in the meeting hall now stood in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the silent buzzing of ToastBot's engine.

Making sure that the scientists regained their serious composure, the black hedgehog sighed at them, and said-

"Please, enlighten me. How does this little _discovery_ of yours bring us any further to finding the cure for NIDS?"

Shadow's voice was full of biting sarcasm, what made Tails and Eggman feel a bit hot under their collars.

"Err, it may be a bit complicated…" the doctor began awkwardly. "Sometimes, to achieve anything in science, one must first examine a totally different field than the one he thinks he should be looking at. Or, as was in our case, even _create_ a completely new field of studies…"

Both of the lab coat-wearing individuals now shook under the increasingly exasperated look of the Ultimate Lifeform...

And then, they flinched.

" _Ahh!_ " yelped the Eggman as a terrible, high-pitched sound suddenly echoed within the room.

Tails himself, whom the same noise forced to cover his face with one of his fluffy appendages, sobering up after the initial shock, pointed at the doctor's wrist computer.

"It's a warning message!" the fox noticed, seeing the red glow which the small device emitted.

Curious and concerned, Eggman looked at it himself, ruffling his mustache. With a nasty feeling in his gut, he pressed a button on the panel.

They all then heard the robotic, androgynous voice of the ARK mainframe's AI again.

"WARNING. COMPUTER SECURITY BREACH. DETECTED. SECONDARY DRIVES. UNDER ATTACK. FILE DATABASES. IN DANGER."

"Somebody's trying to hack our computers!" Eggman burst out in outrage, throwing his long arms into the air.

Tails, completely terrified, covered his mouth with a hand. Only Shadow seemed to know exactly what was going on… but that did not make him any less mad.

"Hrn! Come with me, you two!" he groaned, quickly gliding toward both the doctor and Tails before they were even able to protest. Grabbing each of them in one hand by their smocks, he used chaos control in order to warp them all out of where they were.

The duo of scientists suddenly found themselves in the main laboratory again. In front of them, standing by the keyboard of the mainframe, there was sergeant Mitsui- red on the face, sweating, and furious.

After a moment of absolute bewilderment, Tails and Eggman noticed the progress bar on the computer screen…

"He's trying to format our drives!" yelped the fox, sounding as if he was about to cry.

Grinding his teeth, seriously triggered, the doctor ran toward the insolent hacker, screaming-

"Get away from there, you malignant grunt!"

He had to stop before he even laid a single finger on Ken, however, as the man pulled out his katana, pointing the tip of the blade at Eggman's big red nose.

"Not a step further!" ordered the sergeant, sounding very seriously.

All the while, Tails observed in terror as the format of the computer drives with all the data of his and Eggman's recent discoveries slowly progressed…

Shadow watched all of this with a stern expression, yet calmly. He didn't want to anger Ken even more in his present state.

" _Gunsō-san_!" he addressed the man in his own language. " _Sore o yamete, anata wa yotte iru!_ " **[2]**

But that only ground Ken's gears even more.

"Fools!" growled the man, gazing at Tails and Eggman. He then pointed his katana at the window. "Look at that planet! While people on Earth are dying, you're here, wasting time! It's because of ambitious scientists like you that the Project was not finished 50 years ago! Why do you also focus on gaining personal fame instead of finding the cure?!"

Sergeant Mitsui's screams filled up the lab up to the ceiling. The duo of researchers felt awfully embarrassed… Yet the destruction of their precious work still continued, and realizing that caused them almost physical pain.

Unable to stand that any longer, Eggman turned to the black hedgehog.

"Shadow!" he ran up to him, demanding his help. "Shadow, what's wrong with you?! Do something!"

But the doctor made one mistake. Not seeing any reaction in his grandfather's creature, he dared to grab him by the wrist…

Shadow only looked his way for a quarter of a second, his red eyes filled with disdain. He was now able to understand the reasons for Ken's tantrum.

He pushed the doctor with a rapid gesture of his arm, knocking him to the floor instantly.

"Argh!" yelled Eggman, twisting in both pain and unbridled fury.

Both him and Tails were now completely powerless. And both forced to watch as the progress bar slowly moved toward 100 %. When that number appeared on screen, the computer announced-

"SECONDARY DRIVE FORMAT. COMPLETE."

It became obvious that the 'Robotnik – Prower Theorem' was not to receive any scientific awards after all. Ken put his sword away.

When Eggman managed to lift himself from the floor finally, before anyone could say anything stupid again, Shadow stood before the two scientists, offering them a scolding look. Yet again, the stupidity of others caused him to lose his temper.

"How can people of such 'great minds' act so foolishly?" he spoke without any mercy, showing that he now fully sided with Ken. "You got extremely sidetracked! Get back to work, and this time, focus on the Project!"

Both Tails and Eggman hung their heads in sorrow and grief. Only the fox had enough courage left in him to respond.

"Shadow… i-it's not that easy," he mumbled. "We've had a lot of trouble working with your leucocytes…"

"… and besides," Eggman suddenly cut him off, "most of them only have a life span of a couple of days. The old ones from your blood are already dead, and we haven't been able to find _any_ way to make them multiply! Which means that we may also need a sample of your bone marrow…"

Hearing that, the hedgehog stood face to face with the man, looking as if he was about to hit him again. That made Eggman cover his head with a yelp.

"I'd like to see you try to acquire that sample, _doctor_ ," Shadow uttered venomously.

He snorted at all of them, once again expressing his superiority in a haughty, arrogant manner. The rest of his team wondered what the dark creature meant by that.

"You and your so-called scientific approach!" he continued. "Do you think I'm some kind of a common lab rat, whom you can dissect and experiment with as you please? No. _I_ am much more than that!"

It was then that Shadow reached for something very dear to him, which he always carried, well hidden from the prying eyes of the simple folk.

The hedgehog lifted the item proudly, and the eyes of the fox and the two humans instantly went wide as they reflected the turquoise hue of the magnificent, luminous gem. The powerful stone's glow was bedazzling, and all those present in the lab gazed at it in awe before the voice of Tails finally broke the silence.

"So you finally found that fourth Chaos Emerald!" the youngster remarked, smiling.

"Yes," Shadow answered with a bit of something that may have been satisfaction. "And I've been holding on to it."

Sergeant Mitsui also admired the sight of the legendary artefact which he had never seen before in his life. But the one who was in the greatest state of shock, was Eggman. The doctor, of course, always craved the Chaos Emeralds, and seeing one in Shadow's hand made him realize that this particular one was definitely out of his reach.

" _What?_ Where did you find that, anyway?" he inquired, outraged. "Chaos Emeralds don't just lie around, waiting for hedgehogs to take them! Or, at least, not usually!"

"I found it in a certain… plothole," Shadow retorted sarcastically. "Isn't it amazing what I can do off-screen?"

He then went over to the worktable on top of which stood a vial containing his blood. Everyone else followed him, standing behind the black being's back, observing what he was doing closely.

Still holding the Chaos Emerald in his grasp, Shadow placed his hand close to the sample. He then closed his eyes. The mystical gem's glow intensified, making the spectators gaze at it with mouths agape.

And then, the hedgehog opened his eyes again, quickly put the gem away, and said-

"There. You can now continue your research."

Eggman and Tails gazed at one another, completely stupefied by how brief the whole mysterious procedure was.

"Uh, what just happened?" the fox inquired of Shadow. But the dark creature said nothing, crossing his arms once more.

"Wait a minute," said the doctor, grabbing the glass vial and looking at it curiously. "Let's take a closer look at this sample!"

He quickly put some of the blood under the quark microscope, displaying the image on the screen of a computer console. The sample was now full of different kinds of cells again, most of which were vigorously moving.

"This… is… _amazing_!" they all heard Eggman gasp as he looked through the eyepiece.

"It appears that the Chaos Emerald has caused the totipotent stem cells in your blood to produce new leucocytes!" Tails announced to them, almost hopping for joy. "This means that we can start working again!"

Ignoring the scientists' glee, turning away from all of them, Shadow whispered to himself-

"Chaos is power."

Then, he vanished, teleporting out of the room.

The two researchers were left alone with sergeant Mitsui, who continued to eye them both sternly.

"Sorry, Ken," the fox apologized to the man, hanging his head in remorse. "I guess Shadow was right- we did get a little sidetracked…"

The man was almost ready to accept Tails' apology. If it weren't for the other scientist, that is. Unlike his young colleague, Eggman still seemed angry with Ken for formatting their drives, looking at him with eyes that bore a promise of retaliation.

The old soldier wiped the sweat from his forehead, fixed his long grey hair, and spoke but one more word to them-

"Hurry."

* * *

 **AN:The 'Robotnik - Prower Theorem' was inspired by the real-life Penrose - Hawking Theorem.  
**

 **Next chapter's gonna have Sonic in it, I promise. He's slowly becoming really impatient with just being mentioned ;)**

* * *

 **[1] _Jūbun'na! Yakunitatanai orokamono!_ – (jap.) enough! You worthless fools!**

 **[2] _Gunsō-san_! _Sore o yamete, anata wa yotte iru!_ – (jap.) sergeant! Stop it, you are inebriated!**


	14. Dinner Time On The ARK

**Chapter 14 - Dinner Time On The ARK.**

After Tails had pleaded with him on several different occasions, tired of the youngster's whining, Shadow finally agreed to permit Sonic to join the rest of the ARK's inhabitants for their meals at the space colony's cantina. Of course, that had to be done while the Blue Blur remained shackled, however.

The door to the dining hall opened, revealing a metal plate with a hedgehog chained to it, hovering in mid-air with the use of antigravity technology. Beside it, there walked the young scientist Tails, leading the contraption with the use of a small remote he carried in his hands, arguing with his friend as they proceeded forward.

"So basically what you're saying is that the sassy samurai wiped out all you've been working on, right?" Sonic's voice resounded with sarcasm. "Huh, I really have no idea why you still didn't check out of this gig!"

The fox, who sounded way less happily, still tried to defend his own position against his strong-willed companion.

"Uh… Well, Ken didn't erase _all_ of our files… Just those that didn't have much to do with the Project," Tails mumbled, his ears low to indicate the grief he still felt.

" _What?!_ You're actually _defending_ that crackpot for what he did?"

As soon as the hedgehog expressed his outrage, he suddenly felt a strong jerk as Tails hit the stop button which caused his platform to make a sudden halt.

Sonic noticed that they were now standing in front of a big table… at which there sat Eggman, together with Ken himself. Both fixing his eyes straight at him.

"Hey, whaddya know!" the hedgehog gasped, a bit surprised by their presence. " _Kon'nichiwa, Mitsui-san!_ Great to see you again. Eggman… uh, hi. I guess."

Sonic then offered them a wide, yet kind of awkward grin, to which the two humans only responded with silence and a look of disdain.

It was obvious that they did not speak to one another, and Sonic's presence spoiled their mood even more.

The four of them stood in uneasy silence for a while, after which Tails, beginning to scratch the back of his head, asked-

"Er, who's turn is it to cook today?"

"Not mine," Ken responded shortly.

"Don't look at me," shrugged Sonic, whose wrists were still immobilized by rings made of force field.

"Well, I just finished my shift yesterday!" the fox reminded them. He afterwards looked toward Eggman. "Doctor? Uh, shouldn't you be in the kitchen?"

Sending his young colleague a narrowed stare, the scientist said in irritation-

"No. If you're wondering, it's not _my_ turn, either."

Seeing that they all looked confused, he added-

"Think, you pea-brains! Who among us is still missing?"

The answer was rather obvious, but it didn't make it any less astonishing.

" _Shadow?_ " Tails asked more than he made a statement. "But, he never cooked before!"

It was true- the black hedgehog neither took the kitchen shift, nor did he even join the rest of them during their meals ever before. The shock on the others' faces caused Eggman to exhibit a dastardly smirk.

"Heh-heh… Yes. He's full of surprises, isn't he? Shadow told me he got sick of your 'shoddy culinary skills', and decided to show you his own!"

"Pff! _Their_ shoddy culinary skills?" Sonic immediately made a mocking retort. "Don't you mean _your_ shoddy culinary skills, yourself included?"

What the hedgehog was referencing was that Eggman may have been a great mind, but he definitely wasn't a great cook… Of course, the doctor himself blamed all of that on the limited resources within the ARK's pantry.

As the scientist ground his teeth, Tails asked him another question.

"Does Shadow even know how to prepare food himself? I've never seen him do that…"

The others nodded, indicating that they shared the fox's opinion. That made Eggman even angrier.

"Nonsense!" he shouted. "My grandfather equipped Shadow with all the skills an Ultimate Lifeform needs! I mean, have you ever heard him shred it on his ax? He is _savage!_ "

Maintaining his mocking grin, Sonic responded-

"Uhm, sorry to bust your bubble Egghead, but I don't really think playing the guitar has anything to do with making good chow."

"And what would you know about gastronomy? All you ever eat is fast-food!" the doctor yelled at him. "If musical prowess is not crucial, then how much more culinary skills are! And I assure you, Shadow is equipped with _all_ the abilities which are essential for survival! Just you wait!"

After their argument was over, in order to kill the time, the three of them who could walk set the table and prepared drinks for themselves. Then they sat down in grim silence, each focusing on his own cup.

Ken appeared to be drinking plain water (though the transparent liquid in his glass may have as well been sake). The doctor was sipping his own, self-made, 'alcohol-free' eggnog. Tails enjoyed some instant chocolate milk from 50 years ago. He also put a can of warm, stale _Mountain Don't_ in front of Sonic, and then approached the right side of the hovering metal platform to deactivate the energy ring which restrained his friend's hand.

"Careful," he said to the hedgehog. "You still have razor cuts from when I shaved your arms this morning."

"Hmph! Don't patronize me!" the Blue Blur snorted in response, grabbing the drink and chugging it down as soon as his arm was finally free. He then started stretching his aching joints, groaning as he did so.

Suddenly, a violent, booming sound echoed within the room, catching everyone's attention. The kitchen doors were flung open as if someone kicked them from the inside. A cloud of steam emerged from behind it…

In the midst of the vapors, there stood the black hedgehog. Surprisingly to the others, apart from his trademark frown, he also wore an apron which was hanging from his neck. The apron was immaculately clean.

Shadow walked inside the dining hall without a word, ignoring everyone's curious and awe-struck stares.

He took one of the chair at the table, and sat down in silence. For about a minute, everyone was fixing his eyes at him, expecting the dark creature to say something. But when Shadow finally moved, he did something rather unexpected. Namely, reaching out toward the middle of the table, he grabbed a few raw coffee beans from a bag Tails had brought from the pantry.

 _Did this mean that the Ultimate Lifeform actually drank coffee sometimes?_ – they all wondered.

Shadow, however, instead of putting the beans in the grinder, simply popped them in his mouth as if they were peanuts. The dining hall was filled with a crunching sound.

They all thought that, perhaps, no one had ever found the courage to tell Shadow that this was not the right way to ingest those beans… But neither of them seemed to have such courage in them now, either.

Having chewed his coffee, the hedgehog poured himself a cup of boiling hot water, and then immediately drank it, washing down the beans.

"Err, heh-heh… you want any cream with that?" Sonic asked him jokingly, barely keeping himself from bursting out laughing.

The dark creature directed his red eyes at his rival.

"We don't _have_ any cream," he responded dryly. "And even if we did- no."

afterwards, Shadow arose from the table and, irritated by the fact that everyone was still staring at him, snapped-

"Food's in the oven. Just give me ten more minutes, alright?!"

He then left them wondering what such an _unusual_ cook was preparing for them. But they dreaded the answer more than they anticipated it. Especially Eggman seemed far less eager than he'd been just a few moments ago...

Finally, after the ten minutes had passed, the black hedgehog appeared in the kitchen door again. He was carrying a big covered tray which obscured its contents from them.

"I hope the food doesn't smell as bad as your socks after a hundred mile run" Tails mumbled to Sonic.

"Heh, yeah…" answered the hedgehog. And then he realized that the remark was actually a hidden jeer which the fox aimed at him. "Hey, wait a minute!"

Seeing his companion's resent, Tails simply grinned. Sonic began wagging his finger at him, also smiling maliciously.

"Hmm, looks like being around Shadow made you become more… What's the word I'm looking for?"

"I don't know. Edgy?"

"Yeah, that's it."

In the meantime, Shadow put his tray in the middle of the table, causing the tension to rise even more. And when he lifted the lid…

All those present felt their stomachs turn when the oblong rolls of jet-black, food-like matter were revealed before their eyes. Though no one said anything, Shadow could clearly see in their expressions that they were rather skeptically inclined toward his cooking…

His brow wrinkling slightly, the hedgehog grabbed a plate. Then, putting some of the food on it with a fork, he went over to stand before the platform to which Sonic was shackled. His blue rival felt his blood pressure rising, and all he could do was hide hit true feelings behind an uneasy grin.

"Huh-huh… what are these? Fried Black Doom larvae?" he inquired after Shadow presented to him the plate with something that really looked like fried Black Doom larvae.

But the food's maker did not enjoy that joke at all.

"Just taste it!" he ordered angrily, forcing the fork into Sonic's hand. "I want you to tell me and the others what you think!"

Sonic bit his lip… He realized that the others, having seen the food themselves, were greatly relieved that Shadow did not choose _them_ to be the first ones to try it.

"Err, guess what? I'm not really hungry…" the blue hedgehog tried to talk himself out of it desperately. "I-I was brought here without asking, you know!"

This time, his rival reached his boiling point.

"Eat your _damn_ food, Sonic!" he roared, making the others stiffen.

When the blue hedgehog saw Shadow's clenched fist right in front of his nose, not really having any possible way of escape, he gulped audibly…

Then, holding his fork with the shaking fingers of his only free hand, he reached out and pricked the black rectangular shape with it… immediately causing the thing to ooze out an even blacker sauce.

He wished he could be somewhere far away. Like at the bottom of a pool in Labyrinth Zone, or something.

Closing his eyes and holding his breath, Sonic put the piece of Shadow's meal in his mouth. At first, he felt no taste, but when the lack of air forced him to exhale again…

In shock, he felt something familiar. The strange food appeared to taste kind of like an enchilada. And a very good one, at that.

When the astounded hedgehog took a closer look at the tray again, he finally noticed that which all of them had ignored- that what Shadow had prepared for them was, actually, really enchiladas. With the one difference being that these were black, for some reason.

With the others glaring his way in disgust, Sonic turned toward Shadow and, still chewing, said-

"This… this stuff's great! Man, where'd you find the ground beef? And the beans?"

A slightest, faintest smile of satisfaction appearing in the corner of his lips, the dark creature answered-

"In the pantry, where else? That place is full of canned food. All you need to know is how to prepare it properly. I couldn't find any good cheese, but with the chili peppers I did manage to locate, these are the _ultimate_ enchiladas!"

"Dude, I don't often say this, but he's right!" Sonic assured the still dumbstruck Tails and Eggman, spilling sauce all over his fur as he devoured his portion.

"But… why're they black?!" the fox finally inquired, still gazing at the tray suspiciously.

Ken, who's been observing the whole scene with a mysterious grin, now stood up and announced-

"Squid ink. I took the liberty to aid Shadow with this ingredient. It's good for the health- prevents cancer."

When the sergeant reached out toward the tray to start eating himself, rubbing his hands in triumph, Eggman exclaimed-

"I told you! He's ultimate in _everything_!"

Still bearing a not-so-humble smirk, Shadow sat down along with the others and also began to eat, proving that he did not survive on chaos energy alone.

"There's one more tray waiting in the oven," he announced to his companions, the sonic speed with which they gulped up the food assuring him that they had indeed been very hungry.

* * *

 **AN: ALL HAIL ENCHILADAS!**

 **Of course, this is a comic relief chapter that doesn't really add anything to the plot. But it does prove one thing. As established by the third Sonic Twitter Takeover, which guested the original voice actors, Shadow eats raw coffee beans. And in case you're wondering- yes, this is canon ;)**


	15. Bullets From Tears

**Chapter 15 - Bullets From Tears**

Eggman and Tails had returned to their work. Shadow and Ken were speaking to one another again. On the outside, it looked as if everything was going well.

Assured by the duo of scientists that they were getting close to deciphering the genome in his hybrid cells, the black hedgehog went back to his meditations, waiting patiently for any news of a long-expected success.

One evening, he stood by the window in his chamber, observing as the sun hid behind the sphere of Earth. He became surrounded by darkness, yet did not bother turning on the lights. The complete silence, provided by the soundproof walls of his private sanctuary, gave him all the relaxation he could wish for.

But the Ultimate Lifeform was unaware that this was exactly the moment when his peace was about to be ruined yet again.

A noise suddenly reached his ears, booming from the speakers- one he had last heard over half a century ago. An alarm siren roared within the room, bathing its walls in a gruesome, blood-red glow.

The immortal creature shuddered, almost losing his breath.

In his mind, he now found himself running down one of the halls of the ARK on that fateful day, holding the hand of his only friend tightly. He heard Maria's hasty footsteps on the metal floor, in sync with his own… and the stampede of others, heavier than theirs, not far behind them.

The soldiers of GUN.

Now, it was the same alert. The same frightening red light.

Feeling as these terrible images from long ago caused his heart to strike twice as hard and fast as usual, Shadow hung his head, rubbing his aching temples.

 _No! Maria died decades ago!_ He reassured himself that it was impossible that he was now reliving those tragic events. _But in that case, what…?_

The sound of the alarm was still nearly driving him insane but, snapping out of his initial shock, he was able to see that someone's been trying to contact him on his wrist communicator. Shadow quickly raised the device to his mouth.

"What is going on?" he asked grimly after answering the call, and heard the highly nervous voice of Tails at the other side.

"Shadow! The station's under attack!" cried the young fox. "It appears that GUN found out about our presence here even though we did our best to avoid their security! A military shuttle just landed in the docking bay. Armed soldiers are looking for intruders. We need to do something!"

This scenario seemed way too familiar for the hedgehog's liking. Yet again, humans from GUN were trying to ruin his life…

Only this time, he promised himself that he would not remain passive.

"Tell everyone to gather in the old computer room!" he ordered Tails before hanging up.

Then he looked at the red alert light one more time. Its hue reminded him of his young friend's blood, splattered around the floor of the space station… His black heart was filled with pure wrath.

"Death to all who oppose me!" he burst out, clenching his teeth before teleporting out of the room.

* * *

Shackled to his metal bed, Sonic was holding his head low, seemingly asleep. And that sight made Shadow even angrier. Standing before the blue hedgehog, he screamed-

"Wake up, you fool!"

Then, he gave his rival a delicate, yet stern slap on the cheek.

His eyes popping wide open, Sonic shook his head, startled. Recognizing that he wasn't being attacked, and that the one who stood in front of him was Shadow, the hedgehog yawned loudly and smiled.

"Oh hey, Slim Shady. Sorry about that, you know I need my eight hours… What did I miss?"

Bedazzled by the supposed hero's carelessness, Shadow continued yelling at him.

"Err! Are you deaf?! Can't you hear the sirens?!"

Assuming an expression of confusion, Sonic took a glare at where his rival was pointing. Indeed, the lights within the computer room were blinking red, and the alarm was still roaring somewhere in the distance.

"Oh yeah, right. Uhm… what's going on?" he asked, becoming a bit concerned. But what was even more disturbing to him was the way Shadow acted.

Looking as if the alarm was causing him physical pain, the black creature groaned, holding his hand over his forehead. He tried to do something, but then hesitated, and leaned over the surface of the metal plate as if he was sick or something.

"Shadow… what's wrong?" Sonic inquired, now becoming seriously spooked.

What he wasn't able to see, was what was going on in the other hedgehog's mind. Shadow's memories continued to haunt him, and he still wasn't able to get all those terrible images out of his mind. It was just like before the Black Arms attacked all over again… Pain and wrath mixed within his heart like a burning flame, causing great turmoil and confusion.

It took him some time before he was able to think clearly. He knew he had to. He needed to control himself, and not permit the voices of others to take over again. Particularly, one awful voice.

Black Doom. His 'father'. The very one who had been trying to dupe him that day- to fill his heart with hate. He insisted that he should attack the humans, destroy all of them… With Maria by his side, Shadow was able to resist. He knew that protecting her was far more important. But even though she was gone, he had to force himself to make the right choice this time, as well.

Using all the willpower he had left, he managed to ignore his memories of Black Doom, and the wickedness the alien was trying to tempt him with. He had killed him with his own hands, after all. There was no reason why he should let himself be influenced by some dead lord of darkness...

Shadow turned his tormented face at Sonic, who was still shocked by the flame of rage he saw in his rival's red irises. He then flinched as Shadow suddenly stretched out his arm to touch him.

"Hey! What the…?"

Afterwards, calming down a bit, Shadow went over to the metal plate's control panel. He pressed a button, and then…

… Sonic was free.

"WHOAH!" shrieked the blue hedgahog, falling to the floor as the energy rings around his wrists, ankles and chest suddenly dematerialized. Standing up, massaging his aching joints, he gazed at his rival in astonishment.

"You're… letting me go? What's suddenly gotten into you, Shadow?" he inquired curiously.

The dark being, who was now observing him mysteriously, had staunchly insisted on keeping the Blue Blur in shackles until the Project was completed. But now it appeared that this whole alarm business changed his mind.

In response to Sonic's question, Shadow frowned, pointing toward Sonic's leg.

"I'm not exactly _letting you go_. See that bracelet?"

The other hedgehog also looked toward his ankle, noticing that his rival had indeed put some sort of an electronic metal band around it.

"Uhh… what is that thing?" he inquired, not liking the looks of the strange device.

Shadow then confronted him, addressing the other hedgehog sternly.

"You're free to walk around the station. But only that. If you're ever stupid enough to try to escape, as soon as you take one step outside the ARK, this bracelet will explode. And though the explosion won't kill you, you'll never be able to run, or walk, ever again. I guess that, to you, that's even worse than death."

That announcement was not something Sonic enjoyed to hear. Him and Shadow shared a long, angry stare…

But then, suddenly, both of them turned around as the doors to the computer room were flung open.

All of the other members of their team rushed into the chamber with Tails flying at the head of the group, Ken right behind his back with his katana in his hands, and Eggman panting at the end, his bushy mustache ruffled in terror.

As soon as they were inside, the doctor quickly locked the door, barricading it with the weight of his own body.

" _Sonic!_ " yelled Tails, landing in front of his friend. "I'm so glad you're free again!"

The hedgehog himself, however, was still quite concerned with the looks on everyone's faces.

"Can you please tell me what the heck is going on around here?" he asked the fox, cocking a brow and putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Didn't Shadow tell you already?" Tails looked at the dark creature, who just stood aside in silence. Afterward, with a voice resounding with emotion, he explained- "The colony is under attack! There's about a dozen GUN soldiers, heading this way! And they've got really big guns!"

"Soldiers, huh?" Sonic smiled cockily. "Well, they don't stand a chance against the five of us!"

He began stretching to warm up the muscles he hadn't been using in ages, as if getting ready for a race. Looking toward the door in anticipation, he said-

"Let me at 'em!"

But then, Shadow spoke, making everyone else look his way.

"The four of you will have to face those intruders alone."

"WHAT?!" Sonic, Tails, Ken and Eggman said almost at the same time. After all, Shadow's involvement would have made the battle way easier. But, for some reason, the hedgehog was unrelenting.

"C'mon, Shad! Don't be such a recluse!" whined the Blue Blur, attempting to change his rival's mind. "Why don't you join us? Isn't teamwork more fun?"

Shadow didn't care about having fun, however.

"I still officially work for GUN myself, don't you remember?" he countered Sonic's argument. "I can't go around fighting my own allies! I have a reputation to keep up!"

"Hey! But what about _my_ reputation?" his rival snapped at him in outrage.

That only made a smirk appear on the black hedgehog's face.

"Ha! It's funny how you still think I care…" he sneered sarcastically. Then, right before teleporting away, he added- "You've got this, Sonic!"

They all saw a blue flash, and a quarter of a second later, Shadow was gone. Now there were only four of them left in the computer room.

"Uhh! I can't believe he just bailed like that!" groaned Sonic, and the looks on everyone's faces assured him that they were feeling the same.

Eggman, who was standing closest to the door, seemed completely terrified by the Ultimate Lifeform's departure. And then he heard incoming footsteps.

"Aaah! They're getting close!" the doctor, who was unarmed, screamed. Running like all hell was on his tail (which seemed impossible, taking his stature), he hid behind one of the computer consoles.

The three leftover fighters looked at one another…

"Snafu," estimated Ken bitterly, assessing their situation with the use of military jargon.

"True dat," Tails nodded sadly.

The only one who still remained enthusiastic, was Sonic. Standing in front of the fox, he sent his friend a consoling smile.

"So you say you're not my sidekick anymore, huh?" he asked, but his words had no anger in them. "Well, in that case, how about… partners?"

Tails looked at the hedgehog's outstretched hand in astonishment. In their present situation, arguing did not seem particularly prudent.

"Partners!" Tails shook Sonic's hand firmly, smiling himself this time as well.

Then, already hearing the GUN soldiers banging at the door, the duo of friends stood before sergeant Mitsui.

"You know how these guys fight, right? You should be able to handle yourself," the hedgehog addressed the man, still continuing to grin as if they were about to play some game.

For a second, Ken observed the recently-freed prisoner suspiciously. But then, he too nodded.

" _Hai_ ," agreed the man. "And as for you, you are still the hero, _Sonikku za Hejjihogu_ , aren't you?"

The hedgehog only wiped his nose smugly, chuckled, and said-

" _Ore wa ore-sama!_ " **[1]**

They then all turned toward the door again. At this point, it seemed as if the soldiers at the other side were about to ram it down. Each of the trio prepared himself for the upcoming battle.

* * *

"Woohoo! Looks like we got 'em all!" Sonic's voice happily announced from the speaker of Shadow's wrist communicator after the sounds of the fighting finally died down within the ARK. "Come over here and at least have the decency to celebrate together with everyone!"

The black hedgehog was satisfied.

"Excellent!" he said, and teleported back to the old computer room without further ado.

What he saw there startled him a bit, however. He expected to encounter the sight of a bloody battlefield. Instead, apart from a few bullet holes in the walls, all he was seeing was Sonic, Tails, Ken and Eggman standing around ToastBot with glasses in their hands, celebrating their victory.

As soon as he saw his rival again, ignoring the frown on the other hedgehog's face, Sonic picked up another drink from the tray which the robot carried, and came up to him.

"Care for some bubbly?" the Blue Blur smiled, offering the glass to the dark creature before him.

But his joyfulness was quickly spoiled as Shadow, extremely angry for some reason, knocked the drink out of his hand, making it fall to the floor.

"Where are the soldiers?!" he growled, causing the others to lose their glee as well.

"Uhm, heh-heh… what do you mean?" Sonic scratched the back of his head with his now-empty hand, laughing far more awkwardly this time. "You're even more grumpy than usual, Shad! What's up? Did you lose that fourth Chaos Emerald again, or something? The soldiers are right over there, by the wall!"

The hedgehog pointed at something behind Shadow's back. But when his rival turned around to look at it himself…

"You damn fools…" uttered the black creature, covering his face with a hand.

The GUN grunts were indeed there… tied up, gagged, and _alive_. Their twelve rifles were neatly lined up against the wall, out of their reach.

With the others gazing at him in astonishment, Shadow turned back to face Sonic again.

"Huh? What's the matter?" inquired the completely bewildered blue hedgehog. "We did win, haven't we? Everyone's okay!"

The rest quickly waved their heads in affirmation. But that was not the reason for Shadow's rage to erupt yet again.

"You might be…" he growled, "but why didn't you kill the intruders?!"

"Erm... why would we do that for?" Sonic responded with another question, totally confused.

It then seemed as if Shadow had reached his boiling point… Breathing out in wrath, he barely kept himself from punching his rival in the face.

"Don't you understand?!" he yelled. "These humans, they saw my face! Must I do everything myself?!"

He had wanted to keep his hands clean… but it seemed that it was now inevitable.

Sonic and the rest looked at one another, realizing that, indeed, Shadow had told them that he wanted to keep his presence at the ARK a secret from the GUN…

The dark being stood before the helpless, immobilized soldiers. His appearance made them all look at the furious Ultimate Lifeform in horror. Some of them tried to say something to him, but the gags in their mouths prevented them from doing so.

Shadow crossed his arms, looking at the humans in disdain and disappointment. With a sigh, he shook his head, saying to those miserable creatures-

"Why do you all covet your own destruction so much?" he spoke as if he were addressing the whole human race. "Well, I will give you that which your cold hearts desire…"

Shockingly to everyone, Shadow then went over to the wall, picking up one of the GUN rifles which had been taken away from the soldiers. Loading the weapon, he pointed the barrel straight at the face of the man who sat nearest to him, uttering-

"… and you will shed tears of scarlet!"

All the barriers have collapsed. His heart was now filled to the brim with thoughts of vengeance, and all he could see in his mind was the image of Maria dying there, aboard the ARK, at the hand of another GUN soldier.

The others stood petrified. It wasn't just because it looked like Shadow was about to execute the prisoners in cold blood. It was also because of his appearance. His eyes, gruesomely red as they were, now assumed a devilish glow. His face was twisted in the expression of overwhelming wrath, and it seemed that his whole body was surrounded by some sort of a red aura… Sonic could clearly sense the power of the negative chaos energy surrounding the other hedgehog right now. A power so dark that it frightened not just his friends, but also himself.

"Don't do it, Shadow… These people are innocent!" he spoke to the dark being which now stood before them all.

Shadow did not fire, but instead pierced his rival with a hateful stare.

" _Innocent?!_ " screamed the black creature. "Just a minute ago, these pathetic humans were trying to kill you all! How can you be so foolish as to call them innocent?"

Sonic tried to take a step forward, but Shadow pointed his rifle at him, instead.

"Back off!" the hedgehog warned his rival.

"Whoah, easy there!" Sonic responded, halting and putting his hands up.

Seeing that the situation was becoming quite desperate, Ken decided to also express his thoughts to his partner.

" _Shadō-san_ , what you are doing isn't fair! These men are defenseless!"

"Don't you talk to me about what's fair!" Shadow snapped right back at him. "Not here!"

It was obvious that he would not listen to any human.

Although he was beginning to feel helpless, Tails decided to give it a try as well. With a shaking, sorrowful voice of a scared child, he said to the enraged dark creature-

"Please! Hasn't enough innocent blood been spilled in this place already?"

His words seemed to have a different effect on Shadow, somehow. The tone of the young fox's voice reminded him of that of another child…

Groaning, suffering from an intense headache, the hedgehog lowered his gun for a while. But when he looked at the soldiers again, all he could think of were his dying friend's eyes, and the mercy she was never shown. Once again, he took aim, making the humans shiver as they prepared for their execution.

But Tails knew he had to keep trying to convince his friend to stop.

"Shadow…" he called his name. The fox remembered that the hedgehog had once told him that he, a creator, might be able to discover his own maker's intentions. And, indeed, Tails knew them. Perhaps now the tormented dark creature simply needed to be reminded of who he truly was again?

"You're not a weapon of destruction!" Tails stated firmly. After that, he pointed toward the window, at the view of planet Earth. "Didn't you tell me that helping the people of this planet was your true purpose? Well, these men came from that planet!"

Shadow hung his head, and everyone could see he was fighting an inner battle. The evil red aura around him fainted.

Then, Ken spoke again.

"Perhaps you can show us that there is a better way, _Shadō-san_? We humans ourselves have so much difficulty in believing that…"

The confused hedgehog hesitated. Whom ought he listen to? Ultimately, it had to be himself. He knew that no one could influence the Ultimate Lifeform. He knew what he was.

And he remembers well that he was not a heartless weapon.

Shadow lowered his rifle. But instead of looking toward those who awaited eagerly to see what his reaction would be, he continued to eye the twelve terrified prisoners, looking down at them in utter disdain.

They saw his face. They attacked the ARK.

They had to pay.

"Leave me alone with them," Shadow spoke in a voice burdened with emotional exhaustion, yet one that would stand no contradiction.

The others hesitated.

Soon, they all heard the black hedgehog scream at them, and the order he gave this time was so loud it almost made them cover their ears.

" _Go, or I will_ _ **make**_ _you go!_ "

Eggman took to his heels and vanished within a second. Ken begrudgingly followed.

Tails was about to join them, but then he noticed that Sonic still stood there with his hands on his hips, gazing toward Shadow in defiance.

"Sonic, let's get out of here!" pleaded the fox, pulling at his friend's elbow. "Shadow freed you. Don't make him even more angry than he already is! It'll only cause unnecessary trouble!"

"We can't just let him execute these soldiers!" the hedgehog responded.

But Tails shook his head.

"He's not going to do that," the youngster assured him.

Sonic wondered how his young partner could be so positive about that. But the look in Tails' eyes finally convinced him to leave.

All the two of them heard behind their backs as they walked down the hall, was the desperate groan of the GUN soldiers, who were now fully at Shadow's mercy.

* * *

 **AN: As established by the third Sonic Twitter Takeover, Shadow is a fan of anime. This is why he's using probably one of the awesomest quotes in anime history- the words uttered by Vicious in 'Cowboy Bebop'. Does anyone even get that reference?**

 **Anyways, I wonder what you think will happen to the GUN soldiers. Shadow's so pissed with them it made him turn into Dark Shadow. Since he wants revenge for Maria's death, and also doesn't want the soldiers to report that he was aboard the ARK... well, let's just say it seems that they're not the luckiest humans around.  
**

* * *

 **[1] _Ore wa ore-sama!_ – the way Sonic introduces himself to Shadow in the Japanese version of _Sonic X_. It is a rather rude, cocky way of saying- "I am what I am".**


	16. Shadow's Mercy

**Chapter 16 - Shadow's Mercy**

Tails stood before the door with the Black Arms emblem, biting his lip. He knew everyone was waiting for his report about what was going on with Shadow. And besides, the black hedgehog had summoned him personally, expressing that he himself required his presence. But after what the fox had seen him do in the old computer room, he wasn't so sure if he wanted to talk to Shadow right now…

Finally, taking a deep breath, Tails pressed the button on the control panel, opening the path to the dark creature's abode.

When he saw Shadow, his appearance surprised him. He expected the hedgehog to still be angry after the recent GUN invasion. But instead, Shadow was just sitting there on the edge of his bed casually, his eyes closed and his guitar on his lap, moving his fingers up and down the worn wood on the neck of the instrument. The sounds of what appeared to be the intro to 'Enter Sandman' reached Tails' ears from the amplifier.

Apparently, Shadow was relieving his stress this way. But his young visitor, as soon as he crossed the room's threshold, stood petrified, unsure if he should disturb the hedgehog or not. In the corner of his eye, on the bedside table, he noticed Shadow's freshly polished gun. It was lying next to Maria and Gerald Robotnik's picture, which the hedgehog had put in a frame since Tails' last visit.

The fox waited patiently, feeling his heart pound. But then, the music stopped mid-tune, and Shadow opened his eyes.

"C'mon, Miles!" he uttered to the youngster, gazing at him in exasperation. "Why're you just standing there with your tails between your legs?"

Startled, Tails noticed that the hedgehog put away his guitar, awaiting explanations. Rushing forward, he stood face to face with him, still clearly giving clue of how awkward he felt.

"Did you scramble the GUN ship's log like I told you?" Shadow inquired after realizing that Tails was not too eager to begin to speak.

"Uh, y-yes," mumbled the young scientist, avoiding the look of the hedgehog's red eyes, which he had seen glowing with pure fury that very same day. "W-when the shuttle returns to Earth, all that the GUN officers will find will be a report saying that the intruder alert was a false alarm caused by a malfunctioning computer, and that the ARK is still totally abandoned. Look over there!"

Pointing toward the window, Tails went over to it himself, prompting Shadow to follow him. Jumping off his bed, the dark creature stood by the fox's side as they both observed a vessel which bore the emblem of the Guardian Units of Nations slowly flying back toward the planet it came from.

"Good," Shadow sent Tails a look of appreciation. "This should keep the humans from bothering us, at least for a while."

"Yeah…" the youngster mumbled in response. But his expression still remained rather troubled.

He had one more question to ask of the hedgehog- the one everyone else wanted to know the answer to. Asking it was no easy matter, however.

"Sh-shadow…" he began after a loud gulp.

"What is it?"

"What did you, ehm… W-what happened to those GUN soldiers?"

The hedgehog looked back at the leaving space ship. His voice was passionless, completely bereft of both anger and enjoyment.

"I punished them according to their guilt. Justice demanded it. They had to suffer, just as I have suffered."

"What have you… done to them?" the fox, frightened by such a gruesome announcement, yelped in response.

Shadow then turned to look him straight in the eyes.

"I took each of them to the medical lab, and wiped their memory. All of it. Then, I brought them back to their ship, unconscious. They return to Earth just as I once have- hardly remembering their own names. GUN will have to spend a long time figuring out what happened to their soldiers… They'll probably say it was the result of some accident that happened in orbit."

That was a severe punishment for anyone to suffer, thought Tails. Less gruesome than death, certainly, but nonetheless severe.

"Shadow…" the fox uttered the dark creature's name with a note of sorrow and reproach.

"What?!" the hedgehog responded, raising his voice. "I spared their worthless lives, haven't I? Now shut up about it!"

He turned to stare at the GUN shuttle again, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence. Only a while later Shadow mumbled-

"They should consider it a kindness on my part. I have lost more than just my memories here. _Much_ more."

Tails, who's been gazing at the tips of his shoes, lifted his eyes to see if he could notice the same pain he sensed in his friend's voice in the expression of his face, as well. But Shadow just stood there like a black stone monument.

"You don't like humans much, do you?" inquired the young scientist.

"No," Shadow answered curtly. "Not really."

Tails could understand the dark hedgehog's struggle to save the race he hated- the people who had harmed him so much, after all. That was Shadow's 'mercy', which he showed to them in spite of the personal antipathy he felt.

But what the fox still failed to grasp was the full comprehension of this grim creature, torn between good and evil, whose thoughts, which he mostly kept to himself, were so different than those of everyone else. Shadow had the potential to become both their savior, and their worst nightmare. The fox could clearly see those two sides of him constantly battling with one another from the first time he met him. And, ultimately, there was only one moral code this mysterious being followed- his own.

Even to someone as intelligent as Tails, he remained just as elusive as a shadow.

Finally, his scientific curiosity prevailing over his hesitation, the fox turned toward his somber friend with one more question.

"During my research with Eggman, I've basically examined every cell in your body, but no matter how hard I tried, I haven't been able to figure this out yet…" he began. "Why didn't you kill those GUN soldiers? I mean, I know that's not why you were created for… But you're well aware that you don't have to follow that code. In fact, you could have used the Eclipse Canon to destroy Earth a long time ago already, or let the Black Arms conquer us all. You could have also shot the soldiers, saving yourself the trouble of wiping their memories. So why didn't you? I mean, I'm glad you didn't, but... You were holding the gun in your hand, so what made you change your mind?"

Glancing at the youngster briefly, Shadow almost smirked. He was still so innocent…

Yes. _Innocence. Purity of heart._ Did Tails even realize how much he reminded him of Maria because he still possessed these rare qualities?

Having his eyes fixed at the distant Earth, the hedgehog crossed his arms, and said-

"If there's a single human down there like Maria, I do it all for that one person. I failed her then… I will not do it again."

That answer was satisfactory to the fox… but he also remembered what Eggman had told him about Shadow still blaming himself for being unable to prevent his friend's death.

"You know what I think?" Tails said to him, smiling. "I think she would have been proud of you."

The dark creature's reaction to those words was so sudden and so completely unexpected that it shocked the youngster. Suddenly, Shadow fixed his eyes straight at him in a piercing stare…

At first, the fox feared that he may have offended his interlocutor, somehow. Only after a while did he understand that the hedgehog's astonished expression and gaping mouth were actually signs that he was extremely grateful for the words which Tails had just spoken to him.

After a few more moments, Shadow indicated that to him with a nod.

He felt greatly relieved. And he was sure that, had he indeed shot the soldiers, no such sensation would have ever appeared in his heart.

Regaining a more serious demeanor, Shadow then changed the subject.

"How's the Project coming along?"

"We're getting there," Tails replied. "It's just that the process of slicing up the DNA chains in your 128 chromosomes, and putting them back together again, is a bit tedious…"

Taking the hedgehog's lack of response as an indication that the conversation was over, he then turned around, leaving Shadow alone by the window, slowly beginning to walk toward the door. But before he left, he heard the dark creature mentioning his name again.

"Miles."

"Yes, Shadow?" said the fox, turning around.

"Keep an eye on Sonic," the black hedgehog instructed him, looking over his shoulder. "Make sure he doesn't get in the way of your work while he's rolling around the colony."

Promising he'd do just that, Tails left the room. He now rushed to tell the rest that the GUN soldiers were indeed alive… and that Shadow made sure that they would not reveal the secret of their presence aboard the ARK to anyone.


	17. Death Haiku

**Song for this chapter- Muse,** _ **Hysteria.**_

* * *

 **AN: Sorry for the delay, guys! I had some traveling to do in the meantime. Anyway, we're getting close to the climax, so without further ado, here's-**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 - Death Haiku**

"Tails! _Tails!_ Wake up!" somebody's whispering voice pulled him out of the land of sleep.

The fox lifted his face from the keyboard in a drowsy confusion. He realized he must have fallen asleep from overworking.

"Huh? What? S-sorry, doctor, but I'm not done yet. I told you, the seventy-second chromosome is unusually supercoiled on the quaternary level, and will require much more attention and time in order to…"

Mumbling the words as he rubbed his blood-shot eyes, only after a while was Tails able to notice that the one standing before him by the computer console was actually not Eggman at all. It was Sonic. With his hands on his hips, he gazed at his friend in amusement.

"I've no idea what you're talking about, little buddy, but you better sober up!" joked the hedgehog. "It was bad enough when people were confusing me with Shadow. But if you're starting to think that I'm that old egghead, I'm pretty sure what you seriously need to take a break, whatever it was you were doing!"

The embarrassed young scientist took a look around the lab. After a long time of intensive research, the place looked like a warzone, with vials, microscopes and other equipment lying around the many work tables by which he and Eggman had been tinkering with Shadow's genome in order to obtain antibodies against the human neuro-immunodeficiency virus.

Tails skipped off of his office chair, stretched, and yawned widely. Indeed, he could use a moment of rest, since he'd been working in the lab overtime even after the doctor had already gone to sleep. His friend's presence caused him joy, therefore, especially that Sonic was now free, and in much better spirits.

"Sorry about that," the fox responded, also assuming a delicate smile. "The Project is very important, and we still got lots of work to do."

Sonic himself, who was now occupying himself with gazing at his deformed reflection in the glass surface of some sort of a strange alembic, didn't look like he was paying much attention. Instead, he said-

"Heh-heh, I still can't believe you're working with professor Nosehair…"

Sensing a slight note of jeer in the hedgehog's voice, Tails groaned. He still didn't enjoy Sonic chastising him like that.

"Err! You're saying this as if _you_ haven't teamed up with Eggman in times of need yourself!"

But his friend just continued staring into the glass vessel, ignoring him and making faces. Not wanting to start an argument, Tails therefore decided to change the subject.

"So, anyway, why'd you come? You seem to be enjoying being finally permitted to run around the colony freely. I don't suppose you suddenly became lonely, huh?"

That question made Sonic's behavior change suddenly. Turning around from the lab equipment as if he remembered something, with an anxious frown on his face, he approached his friend folding his hands in a pleading gesture.

"No, that's not the problem!" the hedgehog whined, lowering his voice. "Tails… I need your help!"

Not waiting for the suspicious youngster to ask what the matter was, Sonic collapsed to the floor in a theatrical fall, lifting up one of his legs with a painful groan. Tails cocked a brow curiously…

"Ow, I can't stand this stinging!" Sonic continued to yelp. "It's this darn ankle brace! It's giving me some kind of an allergy!"

Moving closer, Tails examined the explosive metal bracelet with which Shadow had shackled the Blue Blur in order to ensure that his prisoner would not run off.

"Hmm…" hummed the fox, rubbing his chin. "Doesn't seem like there's any sort of allergic reaction…"

"It's there! Honest!" the now-desperate Sonic instantly sprung up and, falling to his knees in front of the startled Tails, grabbing the edges of his lab coat, continued to plead. "I'm begging you, do something! It's causing a bad rash, all the way up to my knee… You just can't see it cause it's under my fur! But it's driving me _crazy_!"

To emphasize that even more, the hedgehog began scratching the area around the brace maniacally, groaning all the while.

" _Please!_ If you don't help me, I think it'll get infected… and then, I'll get gangrene, or something! You're gonna have to saw my leg off… a-and I'll never be able to run again!"

Groveling before his young friend, Sonic was almost reduced to tears. And even though Tails had a feeling that the hedgehog was exaggerating a bit, he finally decided to yield to his request.

"Uh, fine," he said, unfolding his arms in resignation. "Let's take a look at that ankle of yours…"

"Oh thank you so much, Tails! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

In order to start his examination, the fox first had to order Sonic to unhand his smock. When the hedgehog complied, Tails told him to take a seat at one of the empty tables, and took a closer look at the GUN-made explosive metal bracelet.

"Hm, this doesn't look like it has any conventional lock on it… It must be electronically controlled."

"Oh please, hurry!" Sonic rushed him, shaking anxiously.

"Patience is a virtue, you know," retorted the fox, walking over to his tool bag.

Sifting through his stuff, the young scientist put aside a bunch of unrecognizable pieces of equipment before finally getting the right thing.

"There it is! My Universal Decipherer! I haven't used it since we came here, but I just knew it would come in handy again!"

Smiling happily, Tails ran up to his patient again. With Sonic observing his actions closely, the fox hooked the cables of his invention up to the bracelet. Then, extending the chord, he went away be several dozen feet, and hid behind a table.

"Uhm… where're you going?" the hedgehog asked him, confused.

"No offence, but I gotta take cover just in case!" a voice reached him from behind the sturdy piece of laboratory furniture. "If the Decipherer gets the frequency of the ankle brace wrong, the thing might explode. I mean, not that the chances of that happening are very high, but you never know."

"Err… okay…" Sonic mumbled back uncertainly, gazing at the glowing red diode on his bracelet. He was starting to feel that this may have not been such a good idea, after all.

But after a few moments of buzzing and beeping, the light switched from red to green, the ankle brace made a clicking sound, opened, and fell straight to the floor.

"YEE-HAW! Free as a bird again, baby!" the overjoyed hedgehog exclaimed upon seeing that, immediately performing a triumphant breakdance. His motions were a bit too agile for someone who suffered from a severe skin infection, however…

As Sonic celebrated, Tails went out of his shelter, and stood before his friend, concerned.

"Uh, Sonic. I really should take a look at your ankle now!" he reminded his friend.

Hearing his words, the hedgehog ceased his spinning, laughed, and demonstratively kicked the dismantled bracelet over to the other side of the room.

"My ankle's never been better. And all thanks to you, little buddy!"

Without waiting for permission, Sonic grabbed Tails' hand, and started shaking it forcefully.

"Great job! A stellar performance! If I ever failed to appreciate your prowess, allow me to make it up to you," he spoke, still holding on to the youngster's hand. Finally, he concluded by saying-

"Now, let's do like Eggman's hair, and vanish!"

His head spinning from Sonic shaking him like that, Tails felt thoroughly confused.

"Huh? What? W-what do you mean, Sonic?"

A dastardly smile now appeared on the hedgehog's face…

"What do you mean what do I mean? You freed me! Now we can find a ship, and head back home! You can fly that Magnum Eggtopus thing, right?"

Now the fox understood everything perfectly. And he could not believe both Sonic's stubbornness, and his own naiveté.

"No!" the angered youngster refused, stomping the metal floor with his foot. "I can't leave until we finish the Project!"

But Sonic still continued to hold on to his hand…

"Okay, Tails. Have it your way. If I gotta pull you, then I'm just gonna pull you. I'm doing this for you own good, little buddy!"

The hedgehog indeed looked as if he was preparing to take off toward the docking bay, bringing the young scientist with him whether he wanted to or not.

But before he was able to do that, they both heard a sound which made them flinch.

"Miles."

The name was spoken from the other side of the lab in a low, toned-down voice which was as cold as ice. Sonic and Tails were greatly shocked to see Shadow slowly walking their way, looking like a volcano about to erupt… He must have been observing them, and teleported to stop the duo from escaping before their break out had even begun.

The black creature was grasping the dismantled ankle brace in his hand. Ignoring Sonic, he pushed the other hedgehog out of his way, and threw the device at the terrified fox's feet.

" _Traitor!_ " he then exclaimed, making the youngster close his eyes and hang his head apologetically.

"Sh-shadow… I-it's not like that, honest! S-sonic wasn't really going to run away… right?"

As if noticing his presence just now, Shadow redirected his furious stare at the Blue Blur. Sonic himself, however, looked away, whistling innocently as if nothing had happened.

" _You!_ " the dark being went on with his accusations. "I thought I told you to watch yourself, or else you would never walk again. Well, in this case, it appears that I'm just going to have to break your legs personally…"

As he said that, to Tails' great horror, Shadow was already reaching for his Chaos Emerald. But Sonic was ready for that, even though it didn't seem like it.

" _Chaos_ …" the black hedgehog began, holding the precious gem in his hand.

But sooner than he was able to warp through time and attack, Sonic, utilizing all of his super speed, rushed into action, snatching the Emerald straight from his rival's fingers.

Before Shadow noticed what had happened, the other hedgehog was already sitting on top of a computer console on the other side of the room, playing with the shiny rock and laughing its previous owner in the face.

If Shadow looked angry earlier, he now became like a blazing fire. Tails could clearly hear his knuckles crack as the Ultimate Lifeform clenched his fists…

"If you know what's good for you… I advise you to give that damn Chaos Emerald back to me!"

The words were spoken with a note of clear threat. But even despite that, Sonic remained unaffected. With a cool smirk, all he did was continue to throw the gem he was holding in the air and grabbing it as if it were a toy.

"Relax, lord Frownface! I'm just fooling around with you!" he assured his rival calmly.

" _Puh!_ Typical for the _fool_ you are," the black hedgehog snorted in response.

Shadow himself was clearly not fooling around. Standing straight, his face twisted in anger, he stretched out his hand and uttered-

"Chaos spear!"

Taken by surprise, Sonic barely dodged the attack. But the wave of chaos energy the black creature shot at him could not be stopped. When it hit the spot where the hedgehog had sat, it created a great explosion, making the floor shake. Tails fell to the ground with a shriek, and when he saw the damage the attack had caused, he nearly lost his breath.

" _No!_ " gasped the young scientist, gazing at what was left of the completely blown up computer console. "Stop it! You're going to destroy the lab!"

Suddenly, the smoke sensors were activated, and an alarm resounded within the halls of the ARK. The metallic voice of the station's computer announced:

"WARNING. WARNING. FIRE DETECTED. IN MAIN. MADICAL FACILITY. TEST LABS. THREATENED WITH. IMMEDIATE DAMAGE."

That was too much for Tails. Seeing that, because of their stupid rivalry, the two hedgehogs had endangered the Project, the fox stood up from the ground and, throwing his lab coat to the ground in anger, began walking their way. Noticing that Sonic and Shadow were about to charge at one another again, he halted in between them, and stretched out his hands.

" _Hold it!_ " he basically yelled. "Can't you see what you're doing?! You're messing up our work!"

But the hedgehogs, furious with one another, paid the youngster no heed.

"You stay out of this, Tails!" Sonic tried to shoo him off, brandishing the Chaos Emerald as if he were ready to use it.

"Out of the way, whelp!" Shadow also warned him, assuming an aggressive stance.

Tails, however, stood his ground, fearing that the escalation of the conflict would cause even more destruction within his beloved laboratory.

"I'm not going anywhere!" he crossed his arms stubbornly. "Oh, why don't you two use your brains for once!"

"Tails, why do you always have to be such a pain in the butt?!" Sonic retorted to his remark with even more words of annoyance.

"I've got business to settle with your _guardian_ ," Shadow too snapped at him in anger. "You ought to use _your_ brain and get out of here, since you were already stupid enough to free him, you little abomination!"

Both of the hedgehogs' insulting remarks struck Tails right to the heart. But the situation was already so permeated with negative emotion, that it made even the kind-spirited young fox become quite aggravated.

" _Pain in the butt_ …? _Stupid_ …? _Little abomination_ ….?!" he repeated Sonic and Shadow's words in outraged disbelief, mad at them for the verbal abuse he received for no reason. "What... I… How can you… Well, at least _I_ never had a crush on a _human_ before!"

After he said that, a dead silence fell in the room. Both of the rivals abandoned their battle poses, looking stunned, while Tails bit his lip under the weight of their stare.

"C-crush… on a _human_?! What?!" stammered the black one of the hedgehogs. "I mean, that may be true about Sonic and princess Elise… But you can't be talking about… me and… _Maria!_ We were merely best friends! Sh-she was twelve years old, damn it!"

In the meantime, Sonic himself covered his face with a hand…

"Ugh! Must you bring that up again?!" groaned the embarrassed Blue Blur.

Then, he looked at his rival, saying-

"What do you say we ditch the pesky tag-along, and get this over with? I'm getting off this stupid space station, even if I have to go alone!"

In response to Sonic's proposition, Shadow nodded. Then, they both redirected their eyes at Tails…

Before the poor fox was even able to issue a single yelp, he felt two hedgehogs spin-dashing straight into him at the same time. The impact did not harm him much, but it still made him fly through the air and to the other side of the lab with a scream of horror.

Tails collided with the floor right before the entrance to the lab- straight at the feet of the shocked Ken and Eggman, who had run into the room at that very moment, alarmed by the roaring fire alert.

„ _Ittai nani ga okotte iru no?!_ " exclaimed the outraged sergeant Mitsui upon seeing the beaten-up, stunned fox lying on the floor in front of him. **[1]**

" _Nooo!_ The laboratory! Fools, what are you doing?!" the doctor, even more enraged by his work being threatened with harm than his young colleague, screamed toward Sonic and Shadow, his arms flailing in the air frantically.

As the three onlookers stood aside in shock, the hedgehogs confronted one another, each fixing his eyes at his rival with an intention to settle their feud once and for all.

"Alright!" Sonic, still proudly holding on to the Chaos Emerald, stated with a grin. "Let's see who's the coolest now!"

Shadow did not bother to make a witty comeback, issue a taunt, or say anything at all. Instead, clenching his teeth, he reached for his Desert Falcon.

In spite of Tails, Ken and Eggman calling his name desperately, the black creature drew his gun and fired without a second thought. Immediately, a blue blur could be seen moving around the lab, knocking over glass test-tubes and making pieces of paper fly through the air in a gush of wind created by his super-sonic movement. Shadow continued firing shot after shot, but the bullets, instead of hitting his rival's body, made holes in the computer screens and ricocheted from the metal walls of the space station.

The others fell to the floor, covering their heads.

After a couple dreadful seconds, each of which seemed like an hour, Shadow ran out of bullets. Breathing out fury, he cast away his useless pistol, annoyed even more by the sight of Sonic halting at a distance, and sticking out his tongue.

"Ha! Slowpoke!" the other hedgehog sneered. "My turn now!"

Then, Sonic lifted the precious gem he had stolen from his opponent and, a smirk still on his face, exclaimed-

"Chaos Control!"

All that the spectators of this battle were able to see as the hedgehog bent time and space with the Emerald's use, was a flash of blue light. Less than an eye blink later, it seemed as if the whole colony was shaken, making furniture within the room move around. Tails, Ken and Eggman prayed that they would not get crushed as they desperately attempted to find shelter.

Finally, when the quaking of the floor had ceased, they saw that Shadow, who had been standing still as if he were offering his rival a cocky challenge, was no longer there. When the dust subsided, the others saw him in the middle of a large hole in the wall, straining to lift himself up, seemingly having been knocked over by Sonic with the use of the Chaos Emerald.

Shadow was hurt, but definitely not defeated. As soon as he saw his enemy again readying himself to repeat the crushing attack, he snorted, fixing his torn quills quite casually.

"You forget one thing," whispered the dark being. " _I_ do not need any gems to use chaos energy according to my will!"

He then took a step forward, emerging from the debris. The red glow in his eyes was more than just figurative, and a bloody aura surrounded him, fueled by wrath and hatred. Shadow was now blinded by pure, unbridled aggression.

Of course, there was nothing else for Sonic to do but to attempt to utilize the power of his Chaos Emerald before the other hedgehog could make his move.

Yet the berserk state in which the dark being had now put himself seemed to have given him a significant amount of extra speed…

" _Chaooos_ …" Sonic began, clenching his fingers around the gem.

" _NOOO!_ " yelled Tails, Ken and Eggman, attempting to stop the hedgehogs one last time.

But Shadow was now an unstoppable force.

"Chaos Control!" he yelled before his rival was able to do the same.

Again, there was a flash of light. And again, the space colony ARK was shaken to its very foundations.

Something flew through the middle of the laboratory with the speed and impact of a cannon ball. On its way, the object crashed into several work tables, completely shattering both them and the equipment which stood on top. The samples of HNIV fell to the floor, creating large crimson puddles from which sergeant Mitsui and the doctor quickly moved away for fear of getting infected.

Sonic felt like he'd blacked out for a while. When he came to, he found himself lying on his back amongst a bunch of gold rings, and the remains of what used to be the main medical computer. Aching all over, yet with enough sobriety to immediately protect himself, he quickly grabbed one of the rings. Next, he reached for the Chaos Emerald, and held it up in the form of a warning, panting as he did so.

Among the dust and smoke, he saw Shadow approaching him in a red halo, with a devilish frown on his face…

The black hedgehog lifted up his fist, wishing to finish the job. But before he was able to do that, the chamber resounded with a scream so loud and so pitiful that, even in the midst of the storm of their duel, it attracted Shadow and Sonic's attention.

" _Bakamono! BAKAMONOOO…!_ " **[2]**

The black hedgehog looked over his shoulder to see who was insulting him. In the meantime, using this as an opportunity to get out of an uncomfortable position, the blue one dashed by his rival and halted several feet away, also looking in the same direction curiously.

It was Ken, standing in the middle of the completely ruined laboratory, who was screaming at them.

But what surprised Shadow and Sonic about the sergeant's behavior the most was the fact that Ken was not angry. Instead, he seemed to be breaking down in complete and utter sorrow.

With all the others looking on in shock, the man began to cry and sob. The sword which he was holding in his shaking hands fell to the floor with a metallic clamor. Tears streamed down his face, and a torturous groan issued from his throat.

Shadow thought that the man was drunk… but then noticed that it was something far more serious. Ken stood like that for a longer while, his wailing the only sound which now broke the silence within the room. Straining to control himself, his long grey hair in disarray, he took off his coat and ripped off his shirt, revealing his scarred body and the elaborate tattoo of a samurai about to confront a tsunami wave on his back.

Then, taking a look around to stare in the bewildered faces of those who surrounded him, sergeant Mitsui fell to his knees and sat on his heels, hanging his head in resignation.

He wiped his wet eyes with his forearm. When he began to speak, his voice shook, but was surprisingly strong and determined, as if he were delivering some sort of a message of great importance.

„ _Tabi ni yande… yume wa kareno o… kakemeguru."_

After reciting the words, the man took a deep breath, and straightened his back. His expression was now blank and frigid.

Shadow stood before him, narrowing his eyes. Out of both concern and curiosity as to what this bizarre scene meant, even Sonic approached his rival, sending him an inquisitive look.

The black hedgehog repeated Ken's words in a silent tone of reflection, translating them.

" _Falling ill on a journey, my dreams go wandering, over withered fields._ "

"What is that?" the startled blue hedgehog at his side asked. "Some kind of a poem?"

Still fixing his eyes at the sergeant, Shadow continued to wonder what the man was doing. He saw Ken reaching for his sword again, grabbing it in the middle of the blade, and turning its tip toward himself…

Then he understood.

"A _death poem!_ " the black creature growled through clenched teeth, and immediately glided toward the man with as much speed as his jet shoes could possibly provide him.

The others gasped, barely able to believe when they saw what sergeant Mitsui was intending to do- as, apparently, the man was trying to commit suicide by disemboweling himself with his own blade.

As soon as the razor-sharp tip of the katana touched the skin on Ken's stomach, however, Shadow grabbed the sword's hilt and pulled it out of the sergeant's grasp. He then cast the weapon away. After twirling around through the air several times, the katana pierced the floor, standing upright.

A grim silence fell within the devastated laboratory.

Sonic and Shadow's duel was a sight which was shocking enough, but Ken's reaction to it was something completely baffling. Having been awaken from his state of fury, the black hedgehog, confused and aggravated at the same time, stood before the man, demanding an explanation.

"Why?" he asked when Ken turned his desperate, blood shot eyes at him.

But instead of giving an answer, the sergeant burst out in a wave of uncontrollable sobbing yet again. Curling up on the floor like some sort of a quivering animal, he continued to cry-

" _Bakamono… soreha owatta…_ _Nani mo nokotte inai!_ " **[3]**

Seeing that the miserable human was overcome with despair, Shadow pushed him forcefully, and screamed in his face using his own language.

„ _Dōshite?!_ " he yelled as Ken rolled over to his back, lifting up a hand to defend himself. " _Watashi ni ko no koto o setsumei shite kudasai, ningen!_ " **[4]**

Shadow's anger made the sergeant snap out of his bewitched state of sorrow. Panting heavily, still watering the floor with his tears, he crawled over to his coat, pulled something out of the pocket, and handed it to the black creature.

Shadow's facial features instantly smoothened. He opened up his mouth as if by that seemingly insignificant action Ken had poured all of his grief into the hedgehog's heart, as well.

"No one should live to see his loved ones die," the sergeant whispered, looking up at the being before him, realizing that he understood.

For a while, no words were said, and all the others- Sonic, Tails and Eggman, began walking closer to the man and the hedgehog in order to find out what had indeed just happened between them.

What they saw in Shadow's hand, was a picture of a young girl, no older than twelve.

The dark creature's eyes expressed limitless shock, and for a long while, he remained speechless. The image on the photograph clearly caused him pain- so much so that he completely forgot about his battle with Sonic, or anything else for that matter.

Finally, he redirected his sight at the man before him, and when their eyes met again, he stammered-

"It's that girl… from the NIDS hospital. The one we took the blood sample from. She's…"

"My daughter," Ken finished Shadow's sentence for him, barely able to keep himself from crying.

Now all the others also hung their heads in sorrow… especially Sonic.

Shadow turned his head in disbelief, looking as if the realization was draining his physical strength, somehow. But the others were starting to vaguely realize why.

"You were right. We we do have something in common…" the hedgehog said, still looking at the picture in his hand. The face he saw there was not the one of Ken's daughter. It was the one of another young girl, who had also suffered from NIDS once.

He closed his eyes, groaning painfully.

"Forgive me. I didn't know," he addressed Ken with a clear note of anger. But the only one he was angry with, was himself.

"None of you knew," the sergeant responded.

"Then why didn't you tell me?!"

"I didn't want you to think I was only playing with your emotions… _Shadō-sama_."

His head and his heart ached with unbearable suffering. His awful memories returned to haunt him anew. He opened his eyes, but the sight he saw was no less terrible. All around, Shadow could see the destruction which was the result of his own blind fury- equipment completely decimated, computers blown up, samples spilled all over the floor… Project Shadow reduced to ashes. _Again._

The others could clearly see just how much pain this lamentable state of affair was causing the black hedgehog to feel. It was all too visible in his eyes. Sonic found no words to say, blaming himself for the destruction of not just some scientific undertaking, but, in fact, another person's life. Even the nefarious Eggman stood aside in somber muteness…

Only Tails had enough courage to speak up. Only he was still able to find some hope in the midst of their despair.

"We'll rebuild!" the youngster stated confidently, making everyone look his way. "We'll start over, from the beginning! I'm sure we can do it all again, all we need to do is work together!"

No one knew what to answer to the young fox's proposition. They were indeed trying to force themselves to think that this was true… But Ken quickly shattered that hope.

Lifting up from the floor with a deep sigh, he said, turning to Tails-

"I wish I could believe that was possible, _Kitsune-san_ … But while Shadow and I were on Earth, I found out that my daughter's therapy was failing. She only has a few more days to live. That's why I have been rushing you, and encouraging you to focus on the Project… But with the laboratory's destruction, completing it is no longer possible… is it?"

Ken was right. Realizing that, Tails' ears fell flat, and the youngster felt terribly sorry for the man who had indeed done so much in order to save someone he loved…

But then Tails also noticed what state Shadow was in right now. Having walked away from the rest of the group, he, the Ultimate Lifeform, was barely leaning over an overturned table, looking totally powerless, as if about to collapse. He was covering his face with a hand in a gesture of remorse and failure.

As Shadow observed the aftermath of his own actions with dread, many questions appeared in the dark creature's mind. And none of them gave him even a bit of consolation.

 _Should I be glad that I was created…? Of… what I am? What makes me different than the Gizoid? Am I just an experiment gone wrong- one that was meant to give life, but can only breed destruction? Perhaps, it is I who should… die?_

Just like then, on that horrible day when Maria was killed- he, deathless and ultimate, stood completely powerless before the inevitability of death. Only this time, he had only himself to blame.

He felt like eradicating the cursed ARK from existence…

In the midst of a heavy, grim silence, looking completely weighed down by guilt, Shadow came up to Ken yet again. Stretching out his arm, he handed the man the photograph of his daughter back.

"She wouldn't want you to kill yourself…" he uttered with strain, looking in the sergeant's eyes, desperately trying to focus on what Maria would have wanted _him_ to do right now, after so much harm had already been done.

The man nodded, accepting the picture and beginning to put his coat back on with a mournful expression.

The black hedgehog then started to walk away. But before he vanished from their sight, halting in the middle of the destroyed lab, he said without turning his back-

"Ready the shuttle. Ken has to return to Earth to say goodbye to his daughter before it's too late."

The others agreed that they would do just that. But among them, only Tails realized that the dark creature was leaving them to that task because he didn't want them to see him grieve.

Shadow, even though he couldn't die and had a heart as black as pitch, could still feel compassion.

* * *

 **AN: Ayy, not good, not good at all :(**

 **Even though I will forever hold that Shadow is the ultimate, he nevertheless has a few weak spots. One of which is his pride, which he mostly expresses through his rivalry with Sonic. So have the two hedgehogs finally doomed the development of the cure for NIDS through their recklessness?**

 **Stay tuned for the final chapter of this story.**

* * *

 **[1]** _ **Ittai nani ga okotte iru no?**_ **– (jap.) what the hell is going on?**

 **[2]** _ **Bakamono! Bakamono!**_ **– (jap.) idiots! Idiots!**

 **[3]** _ **Bakamono… soreha owatta…**_ _ **Nani mo nokotte inai!**_ **– (jap.) idiots.** **All is lost. There's nothing left.**

 **[4]** _ **Dōshite? Watashi ni ko no koto o setsumei shite kudasai, ningen!**_ **– (jap.) why? Explain this to me, human!**


	18. Light In Shadow

**Song for this chapter- Coldplay, _Fix you_.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18 – Light In Shadow**

* * *

Her face was almost yellow in color, her body hardly anything more than skin loosely stretched over a living skeleton.

Sergeant Ken Mitsui touched his daughter's thinning hair with a trembling hand as a tear ran down his cheek. Pulling his nose, he observed the faint signal of the electrocardiogram. She had changed so much… It seemed as if the neuro-immune deficiency syndrome had almost wasted his beloved child away.

But, at least, he could say that he'd done all that was in his power… There was nothing else to do. Only words of farewell remained.

Ken cleared his throat and began reciting in a clear voice, thinking that, perhaps, his daughter was still somehow able to hear him.

„ _Tabi ni yande, yume wa kareno o, kakemeguru._ " **[1]**

She did not react to his words. Only the beeping of the ECG ensured the man that the sick girl was still alive. Bending over, he kissed her on the forehead, saying-

" _Watashi o yurushite_ … w _atashi wa shippaishita_." **[2]**

Suddenly, he felt the presence of a third person in the room- a presence which appeared in spite of the closed doors.

The guest said nothing, and for a while, Ken himself remained silent. Only when he could no longer stand the sight of his own daughter's suffering, the man decided to turn around.

"Have you come to mourn with me, _Shadō-sama_?"

Sergeant Mitsui noticed that the hedgehog had his own katana fastened to his back. The man had completely forgotten to bring it with him when he was leaving the ARK.

Shadow did not respond to his question at first. Walking over to the bed, he took a sad look at the young girl who lay there, dying.

All of a sudden, her father's drinking problem became much more understandable.

"What is her name?" Shadow asked.

"Tabitha," came the answer.

" _Tabitha_ …"

The black creature continued looking at the sick child for a moment. But then, he rapidly turned away, fixing his eyes at her sorrowful father.

"You did all of this for her, haven't you?" the hedgehog said. "Leaving GUN, hacking into top-secret military databases, searching for me, traveling to space… All of that could have cost you your life. But it didn't matter to you, did it? You took the greatest risk, but you know it was worth it. Though you left the army, there was a greater war to be won- that for the life of your daughter."

The old sergeant's sullen silence was enough of a confirmation for him.

"You've taught me something about your kind, _Mitsui-san_ ," Shadow went on. "The Black Arms, my kin, possess a hive mentality. The individual means nothing to them. All that counts is the survival of the collective. But as for you humans... you're not like that. To you, every life matters. Every person is just as important as the whole world… That, I will never forget."

Astonished, the man turned his eyes at the hedgehog, and noticed that Shadow was stretching out his arm toward him.

"Take this," he said.

"What…? What is that?" Ken inquired, startled to see that he was being presented with a some small glass phial filled with a strange black liquid.

As the sergeant examined his gift with bewildered curiosity, in a tranquil voice, Shadow plainly stated-

"This is what we've all been looking for."

The old man gasped, hardly able to believe the hedgehog's words.

" _Nani... ? D-dō yatte?"_ he asked in total shock. "How is this possible…?"

The faintest smile appeared in the corner of Shadow's mouth as he responded-

"I have my ways…"

* * *

 _ **(earlier)**_

Shadow called all those who still remained aboard the ARK to gather on the station's main bridge. When Sonic, Tails and Eggman walked into the room together, all they could see was his back, as the hedgehog faced the large window and stared at the black starry void in the distance.

Impatiently yet politely, Sonic then cleared his throat to indicate that they were waiting for his instructions. But when Shadow turned around, Sonic regretted having done that. His rival's face may have been as if chiseled from solid stone, but in his eyes he could still notice a great sadness.

"Have you sent sergeant Mitsui on his way?" the dark being mumbled silently.

"Uh, yeah, we did…" Sonic answered, scratching the back of his head and avoiding eye contact.

"Good," nodded the other hedgehog.

"What do you want us to do now?" Tails, still looking terribly concerned, inquired.

Crossing his arms on his chest, Shadow fixed his eyes on the floor.

"Take Eggman's ship, go back to Earth. Go your own ways, you are all free. The game's over."

It was as they've feared- blaming himself for the Project's failure, and for the death of Ken's daughter, Shadow had lost all desire to continue the work they'd conducted aboard the ARK…

"But… what about you?" the young fox yelped, gazing at his friend in sorrow.

The hedgehog hadn't made up his mind yet. The thought of returning to Earth repulsed him. If he did that, in the face of every human, he would continue to see a silent accusation for all eternity.

He contemplated staying on the space station. He contemplated living there forever, alone with the ghosts of the past. He contemplated setting the course for the sun in order to end it all…

"My fate… is none of your concern," he said finally. "You just follow your own paths."

Suddenly, Shadow saw that Tails ran up to him and, without any warning, grabbed him by the elbow with despair written all over his face.

"No, Shadow! The answer is right here, in your blood! We can't just give up! I know you want all of this to end… in a good way, that is, not as a tragedy!" the youngster continued to cry, touching the others' very souls with his kind-hearted determination.

"It's over, Miles… Please, unhand me," the black being protested without conviction, not even finding enough willpower in order to free himself from the fox's grip.

And then, Tails felt somebody's hand on his own shoulder. When he turned around, he was surprised to see that the one doing that was Eggman.

"Now now, fox boy. Do give Shadow some room! How do you intend to convince him to follow our plan if he can't even breathe freely?"

"Huh? O-oh yeah, that's right… Sorry."

Instantly, Tails let go of the hedgehog's elbow, standing by the doctor's side. Now also Sonic joined them, having seemingly overcome his aversion for working with the malevolent scientist. When the whole trio fixed their eyes at him, Shadow lifted a brow.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, clearly not in the mood for jokes. "What's this _plan_ you're talking about?"

Baring his teeth in a grin, Eggman rubbed his hands together.

"Heh-heh… Well, yes. It appear that, this time, it's _us_ who have a little... _proposition_ for you, Shadow! And although I would love to call it my own, the whole thing was actually Tails' idea. Allow me to explain. It is obvious that, since the laboratory has been so… unfortuitously destroyed, along with the vast majority of our recent work on Project Shadow, it is impossible to recreate all of that in the small amount of time we have left. However, after you left, our young friend proposed a different approach to the problem. One involving a certain powerful artifact we are lucky to possess. Namely, the _Chaos Emerald_!"

Becoming more and more interested with each word, when the doctor finished speaking, Shadow was astonished by the sight of a contrite Sonic, walking over to stand before him. With an awkward smile and eyes downcast, his rival pulled out the precious gem he had stolen, and handed it over without and resistance.

"Erm, sorry about that, Shad… I mean, Shadow," the Blue Blur muttered. "You know how it is with these things… You see one- you just gotta have it, no matter how tough the Special Stage is!"

Snatching the Chaos Emerald from the other hedgehog's grasp, Shadow, still completely surprised, redirected his eyes at Tails and Eggman. The doctor continued holding his hand on the youngster's shoulder.

"As suggested by our child prodigy, with the use of both the Emerald and your own built-in Eternal Engine, you should be able to utilize enough control over the Universe's chaos energy in order to create a chronological suspension long enough for us to restart and, indeed, finish the Project we'd been working on… In other words, and this is proven by some calculations which I myself have made, you should be able to _stop time_ , Shadow! If you focus hard enough, that is. With enough luck and effort, we should be done before Ken's daughter passes away!"

With his mouth agape, the black creature stared at the reflection of his own face in the smooth, green surface of the powerful gem which he was holding. Somewhere deep within the darkness of his heart, a faint light of hope was enkindled.

"I… I haven't thought about that," he gasped. "I should be able… to do this! Miles, I…"

Shadow turned his eyes at the fox with genuine gratitude, making him smile for real this time.

 _"Thank you!"_

"Pleasure's all mine! Tails never fails!" laughed the juvenile scientist, taking off from the ground and making a loop over everyone's heads in a gesture of jubilation.

"Oh yeah, this Project is back on track!" cheered Sonic, expressing that he finally decided to join his rival's cause, even if his change of heart came a bit late.

Also Eggman stood there chuckling, a spark of anticipation glowing in the scientist's eye.

When Tails finally came down to the ground, Shadow, greatly relieved, commended his plan with a nod of appreciation.

"I was wrong to ever call you stupid, Miles... I was wrong about a lot of thigs."

"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself, Shadow! We all make mistakes sometimes. Fortunately, with your power, we may still be able to fix that!"

The fox then extended his hand toward the hedgehog, saying-

"Partners?"

"Partners!" Shadow responded without hesitation, shaking Tails' hand.

Next, he was approached by Eggman.

"We're still partners too, aren't we, Shadow?" the doctor said ingratiatingly, carrying a falsely sweet grin.

The black creature shook his hand as well.

"Yeah. Just remember, doctor- _no more tricks!_ "

"Why no, of course not! Why would I ever do anything like that? Heh-heh…" Eggman assured him, taking back his aching hand and discreetly massaging his fingers which the hedgehog had crushed in order to emphasize his point.

Next, it was time for the two rivals to make peace with one another. When Sonic stood face to face with Shadow, each of them crossed their arms, awaiting for the other to begin to speak.

Finally, without a word, their hands simultaneously locked in a gesture of reconciliation.

"Guess we better let bygones be bygones, right… _partner?_ " Sonic asked with a smile that was a bit uncertain.

"Right… _partner_ ," Shadow responded, pulling him closer and whispering- "I expect you to be a bit more useful than last time."

The new agreement having been struck, Sonic, Tails and Eggman stood before Shadow, awaiting his instructions.

"Wait for me in the main lab," he ordered.

Before the trio were able to reach the devastated chamber, however, the black hedgehog was already there. Walking past ToastBot, who was busying himself with trying to put out a small fire which still burned there, Shadow stood before the remains of the facility's mainframe computer. His friend observed as he solemnly placed a picture of Maria and Gerald Robotnik on top of the console.

He then turned around, noticing that the others had their eyes fixed at him.

"We're counting on you, Shadow," Sonic spoke, giving him a thumbs-up. "Show us what you've got!"

 _Yes,_ the other hedgehog agreed in his mind. _But this time, it will not be for the sake of destruction. It will be to fulfil my destiny._

Taking the Chaos Emerald in his hand, he closed his eyes, concentrating. He was trying to tap in to the frequency of the chaos energy that surrounded him.

Then, the hedgehog lifted his hand above his head, and silently said-

"Chaos Control."

The others flinched, expecting a flash of light or some other visible phenomenon to happen… But after experiencing no such thing, their glares went back to Shadow.

"Did it… work?" Sonic asked him, confused with not seeing any difference, yet sensing a strange aura of chaos energy in the air.

Shadow opened his eyes and lifted his head up heavily. His voice sounded strained, as if he were in a lot of travail, for some reason.

"Yes… It did…" he huffed, causing the others to take a closer look around.

"There! Check out ToastBot!" Tails pointed toward the droid, which seemed to have frozen in the middle of his work.

Eggman then went over to one of the few computers within the room which were still intact. Checking the screen, he exclaimed-

"The clock has stopped! _Amazing!_ It appears that we are indeed in the state of chronological suspense! With enough luck, Shadow will be able to maintain this state until we are finally able to finish the Project!"

That may have been true, but the others could also see that stopping the time cost the black hedgehog a lot of strain. Even if he was trying to hide it.

"You alright, man?" Sonic approached him with concern.

"Yeah…" Shadow mumbled back, still grasping the Chaos Emerald tightly. "Get... to work."

It then looked as if he intended to leave. Seeing that, Eggman called his name from behind.

"Erm, Shadow! I hate to bother you, but… we are going to need new samples of your blood to replace the ones you've… _accidentally_ destroyed."

The dark creature looked over his shoulder, panting in exhaustion, causing the doctor to gulp…

Then, taking a look around, he noticed Ken's sword, still sticking out of the metal floor plate which it pierced after Shadow had stopped the sergeant from committing seppuku. Approaching the blade, Shadow grabbed its hilt, and pulled the katana out with a horrible, screeching sound.

"Don't worry, doctor…" he gasped. "You'll get your… samples."

* * *

 ** _(later [?])_**

The clocks all over the station were frozen and the sun and stars ceased their daily rotation, but the inhabitants of the ARK were able to estimate that Shadow remained in a state of meditation, without food or sleep, for a period of 'time' amounting to about two months in order to maintain Chaos Control.

His friends all worked arduously to repair the damage. Although Sonic could not provide Tails and Eggman with much help in the technical department, he proved an invaluable aid in terms of more manual tasks. After all, the devastated laboratory needed to be cleared of tons of broken equipment, and afterwards new computers had to be brought from other areas of the ARK. And Sonic could not only do that, but he also executed his duties _fast_.

Fortunately, with the help of Tails' computer skills, the duo of scientists were able to recover most of the data from the old hard drives of the destroyed computers. It wasn't long before the research concerning Shadow's cells could begin anew. Then, Project Shadow was not only continued, but also, after a long series of tests, completed.

That day (if it could even be properly called a 'day'), Shadow, summoned by his colleagues, walked into the laboratory for the first time since he retired to focus on controlling the chaos energy. Standing behind Tails's back, gazing at Maria's picture which was still standing on the computer console, he witnessed as the young scientist typed in the final paragraphs of Project Shadow's log into the ARK's mainframe.

"Report 61, Section 7. _In conclusion, it has been estimated that the genetically modified antibodies extracted from the bloodstream of the Ultimate Lifeform ought to provide the perfect weapon against the spread, development, and indeed the very existence of the Human Neuro-Immunodefficiency Virus and its many mutations within the nervous system of any possible host. Furthermore, the Ultimate Lifeform's mutated totipotent stem cells, also contained as part of the final solution, ought to be able to recreate and repair the tissue which had been damaged by the virus, providing a cure for both the cause and the effects of the Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The creation of the Ultimate Lifeform, as well as the discovery of the NIDS cure, thus marks the completion and finalization of Project Shadow._ Save, and copy, and paste, and burn!"

Turning in his office chair enthusiastically, Tails then handed to Shadow a freshly created copy of the disk containing all information about the completed Project.

The black hedgehog faced the others- his exhausted colleagues who had put a lot of personal effort into making all of this possible. Each of them received a look of true gratitude from the Ultimate Lifeform. Lifting up the disk for all to see, Shadow then said to them-

"In case that I myself ever lose memory of this again, for any reason, here is written down the true purpose of my creation. It can no longer be changed or manipulated by anyone. It will also remain forever sealed within the chronicles of the ARK. I will see to that myself."

He put the disk away, and was then approached by Eggman, who was holding a medical tray with a small glass phial lying on top. The doctor seemed to be grinning more than he ever had before in his life. Finally, he was experiencing a success.

"Behold, our ultimate creation!" he said with pure delight. "My grandfather would have been proud!"

Shadow picked up the small vessel which contained a cure extracted from his own black blood. Looking over his shoulder, he glared at Maria's picture behind him. He could almost hear her words again…

 _Shadow! Bring hope to humanity!_

"Hope…" he said under his breath, holding the phial tightly.

"What's that, Shadow?" Sonic asked him, his hands on his hips and a smile on his face, even despite that the Blue Blur continued tapping the floor with his foot in impatient anticipation.

"Nothing," the other hedgehog responded briefly. "I want you all to know that you have my gratitude. Miles, Eggman… _Sonic_ … I will not forget this. Now, let's find out if this cure actually works!"

"Finally!" Sonic breathed with relief, dashing toward a window with the view of Earth outside of it. "I was already getting sick of cooking and running errands around the colony while you two geeks worked in your lab! This darn place is a _maze!_ Let's go back home, to the planet as blue and cool as…"

Noticing how the others glared at him with reproach clearly painted on their faces, the cocky hedgehog paused mid-sentence.

"Uhm… let's just go," he then concluded.

" _Alright!_ " exclaimed Tails, flying over to his friend. "I guess there's no reason why we couldn't team up again, huh?"

"Well, I dunno…" Sonic rubbed his chin. "You said yourself that you don't wanna be anybody's sidekick anymore…"

"And I meant it! But you didn't really think I would permanently leave my best friend, did you?"

The duo shared a smile, and a high-five.

"Yeah, guess not, little buddy," Sonic said, happy with their reconciliation. "Sorry 'bout what I said earlier... I didn't really mean that. Guess I can be a major donut-hole myself, sometimes..."

"That's okay. Just don't try to treat me as a secondary character anymore, or I'll run you over with the Tornado!"

The hedgehog responded to the fox's clear joke with a snort.

"Ow, the edge…" he jeered. "Allow me to remind you that the Tornado is actually _mine_ , amigo!"

"Alright, alright!" suddenly, Eggman interrupted their dialogue, waving his hands in the air to signify his own impatience. "Enough of this prolonged farewell! If you don't mind, I've got a secret underwater cavern to repair! _Shadow!_ Get us out of this time suspension!"

"My pleasure," the black creature answered, holding up his Chaos Emerald. " _Chaos Control!_ "

The clocks began to tick again.

* * *

 _ **(later)**_

Sergeant Mitsui continued to eye the small glass phial he was holding in his hand with disbelief.

"So that is really what happened…?" he asked as if someone had just awoken him from some sort of a dream.

"Yes," Shadow confirmed. "Well, what are you waiting for, _Gunsō-san?_ Use it!"

Trembling all over, springing up to his feet, Ken quickly hooked the cure up to Tabitha's IV.

The man and the hedgehog each closely observed as the black liquid entered into the sick girl's bloodstream.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" sergeant Mitsui inquired with his voice trembling.

"No," Shadow answered him frankly. "But that is the risk you took when you first came to me."

 _Miles and Eggman better not have screwed anything up…_ the hedgehog then thought to himself in his mind.

It took some time for the cure to work. The results came slowly, one at a time. First, Ken noticed that his daughter's breath had stabilized. Next, her heartbeat became more regular. The final proof was the reading of the machine that was monitoring Tabitha's neural activity, which went from almost non-existent, to basically that of a healthy, sleeping human being.

The girl's face began regaining its natural color. The cure did what it was meant to do.

Tears streaming down his face, barely able to contain himself, Ken turned toward Shadow, beaming with happiness which could not be expressed in words. Bending over in a profound bow, he muttered-

" _A-arigatō… makotoni arigatōgozaimasu, Shadō-sama!"_ **[3]**

The hedgehog responded to those exuberant expressions of gratitude by calmly saying-

"It is I who thank _you_ , _Mitsui-san._ "

He then walked over to the overjoyed man, and stretched out his hand to offer him yet another gift.

Ken received the disk the hedgehog gave him and after examining it, asked-

"What is this?"

"This is the complete record of the development and the production of the NIDS cure. I believe you should share that with the rest of your race as soon as possible. There are others out there, hanging on the edge of life and death. Don't worry about explaining where it came from. I've… _convinced_ Miles and Eggman to attribute all the work of the Project to professor Gerald Robotnik alone."

"And what about you?" the astonished man asked.

"I don't care for the gratitude of the whole human race. Yours is enough."

"But, Shadow!" Ken protested against this unnecessary humility. "The world needs to know that it was you who helped us! How else will you be able to walk amongst us without others fearing you, and this great unknown power which you possess?"

In response to that, the dark creature turned toward the window. Looking at his reflection, the man was able to notice that he smiled.

"Let's just say I prefer to stay… in the shadows," the hedgehog responded.

Pondering something for a few seconds, he then turned back to Ken again. His voice assuming a serious note this time, he continued-

"After so many years, the Project is finally complete. And so is my destiny. This is who I am… not merely a shadow of who I want to be."

Sergeant Mitsui agreed with a nod. But he also had something of his own to add to those words.

"Chaos is power- power enriched by the heart. You are powerful because your heart is good, _Shadō-sama_. Every shadow results from light, _Kyūkyoku Seimeitai._ "

The hedgehog was truly touched by the man's words. Wishing to express his appreciation, he approached him again. Taking off the sheathe which was fastened to his back, he handed to sergeant Mitsui his own sword.

But Ken, who was sitting on the edge of Tabitha's bed, occupying himself with holding his daughter's hand, surprisingly did not wish to accept it.

"Oh no," he said, smiling as he gazed upon the girl's face. "I am not fit to wield that blade anymore. You have defeated me more than once, whereas I have failed to as much as hit you."

"What…?" Shadow stammered, astounded. "But… you said that this sword has been in your family for generations!"

The old sergeant turned his eyes at him.

"It has. And now, I think it's time to pass it on to someone who is more worthy of it. See for yourself. Unsheathe the blade, see what it written on the _shinogi_."

Curious, the hedgehog did just as Ken suggested. The light of the sun reflected from the katana after Shadow took it out of its scabbard. On the flat side of the blade, close to the hilt, he only now noticed a single _kanji_ logograph which was engraved there.

影

 _"Kage_ " he read the word aloud, almost chuckling. " _Shadow_. Is this… a coincidence?"

"There are no coincidences," the sergeant responded briefly, bearing a mysterious smile.

Then, arising, he confronted the black being.

"Your gifts are more than I am ever going to be able to repay you for, _Shadō-sama_. But please, allow me to ask one more thing of you."

"Anything," the hedgehog responded, placing his new sword back in its sheathe.

Bowing humbly, Ken then looked him in the eyes.

"I would like to ask you for the honor to be able to call you my friend."

Looking back at him, Shadow considered the human's request carefully.

And then he nodded, stretching out his hand first. His friend shook it firmly.

"Now, my happiness is complete," sergeant Mitsui announced with a smile- a statement to which his interlocutor could relate. Returning to his daughter's side, Ken concluded by saying- " _Sayonara, Shadō za Hejjihoggu!_ "

" _Sayonara, Mitsui-san_ ," the black creature responded before teleporting out of his sight.

For a long time afterward, Shadow meditated over Ken's words like he had not though about the words of a human since Maria and professor Gerald's deaths. The old man told him that there was good in his heart, and Shadow was starting to believe in it. Once he had feared that, having so much power, he would eventually have to be destroyed. But no- he would show the world that there was a better way. He- Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Lifeform.

* * *

 ** _(Epilogue)  
_**

Shadow stood on top of the tallest building in the city, towering over the human hive below him, away from the prying eyes of its inhabitants. On his back he carried his sword, which bore the same name as he did, and in his hand he carried his gun.

He was at peace.

Taking a look at his reflection in the shiny chrome of the weapon which he had just finished cleaning, he touched the barrel of the gun that now had the name 'Tabitha' etched into it.

He put the pistol away, and then fixed his eyes at another item he carried with him. The old picture of his creator and his granddaughter.

"You were right after all, professor. I can indeed share my life with others," he whispered. "Maria… Would you really have been proud of me?"

No one responded.

Afterwards, Shadow fastened his wrist communicator, which he had not been using since he began working on the completion of the Project together with Ken. Activating the device, he noticed that he now had 32 unanswered messages. And all of them were from his fellow GUN agent, Rouge the Bat.

Wincing, the hedgehog decided to erase all of them without reading, except for the last one. He then played that most recent recording.

"Shadow!" he heard a female voice. "Forget about my last message, I managed to get out of that mess on my own, somehow… So anyway, I see you're still not answering my calls. I'm beginning to get seriously worried about you, sweetheart. And so is the Commander! Oh, on a side note, I heard about this racing competition taking place on Planet Wisp… It's supposed to be team play, so I signed up all of Team Dark as soon as I heard about it. That includes, you, as well. Hope you don't mind. I know how you _love_ to drive… The award for first prize is _huge,_ so even you should be satisfied. When you finally return from wherever you are right now, make sure to give me a call. We'll talk more about that then. Tah-tah, handsome!"

Having listened to the whole message, Shadow groaned, covering his face with a hand…

"Ugh! Better get back to work before that bat girl gets us into trouble again!"

Quickly grabbing his sword, his gun, and his Chaos Emerald, the exasperated hedgehog said-

"Chaos Control!"

Dawn was beginning to break over the city.

* * *

" _ **When I became the sun, I shone life into the man's hearts."**_

 **\- System of a Down, Toxicity**

THE END

* * *

 **AN: And that's a wrap! Thank you all so very much for reading this my inaugural Sonic fanfic ;) Hope you had as much fun as I had writing it.  
**

 ** **This fic, and especially the character of gunsō Ken Mitsui, is inspired by Jacek Dukaj's short story 'The Empire of Clouds'.  
****

 **So I guess each of the characters learned something from this story which almost ended in a tragedy... Eggman learned that, sometimes, using science for the sake of good can not only be exciting, but also prophitable. Sonic, perhaps, learned to trust Shadow a little bit more, and that he too can make mistakes if he's too stubborn. Tails 'manned up' and acquired a newfound independence by Shadow's side... as well as assuming a touch of his brooding friend's 'edginess'.  
**

 **But the most important lesson was learned by Shadow himself. See, the black hedgehog is constantly torn apart by his good and evil sides. Between his anger and desire for revenge, and the kindness and benevolence instilled within him by Maria, which was to be the true driving factor of his life. Problem is, he needs to be reminded of that, since he had lost his memories on at least two different occasions.**

 **Shadow needed to remember his true purpose. Ken did the best to fulfil that task, even though he knew he was risking a lot, since Shadow despises humans... But what the sergeant had shown the hedgehog is that even a GUN soldier can be a good and honest man. Tabitha's seemingly imminent death bearing for Shadow too much of a resemblance to how he was unable to do anything about Maria's death, he breaks down kind of like at the end of the neutral scenario in his game. Fortunately, another thing that Shadow had learned, was teamwork. Thanks to his quick thinking, Tails reminds him that he actually _can_ do something about their seemingly hopeless situation- and he does... thanks to that damn fourth Chaos Emerald ;) Thus, the Ultimate Lifeform fulfils his purpose for the good of humanity. Maria, professor Gerald, and Shadow himself, can finally rest in peace (I mean, Maria and Gerald will have to take care of the resting, as Shadow is obviously off to participate in Team Sonic Racing, so... Yeah, you get the idea).**

 **Right! Thanks again, and see you all next time XD**

 **Toot-toot, Sonic warriors. Toot-toot.**

* * *

 **[1]** _ **Tabi ni yande, yume wa kareno o, kakemeguru**_ **– (jap.) 'falling ill on a journey, my dreams go wandering, over withered fields'. An actual XVII-century farewell poem written by the Japanese poet** **Matsuo Bashō before his death.**

 **[2]** _ **Watashi o yurushite,**_ _ **watashi wa shippaishita**_ **– (jap.) forgive me, I have failed.**

 **[3]** _ **Arigatō. Makotoni arigatōgozaimasu, Shadō-sama!**_ **– (jap.) Thank you. Great thanks to you, Shadow, sir!**


End file.
